Adaptive thinking and flexibility are essential skills for navigating life’s unpredictability. However developing these skills can be challenging for many learners, particularly those in ABA programs.
Traditional methods, like simple contingency management or reinforcement systems, may not address some learners’ deeper, more complex needs; especially those with advanced language skills. This is where Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) comes in.
Rooted in Relational Frame Theory (RFT), ACT provides a values-driven framework to promote adaptive thinking and psychological flexibility while using an ABA approach. At the core, ACT isn’t just about managing behavior. It’s about helping learners accept their experiences, live in the present, and take directed actions based on their values.
Through methods like the AIM curriculum and the DNA-V model, ABA practitioners can integrate ACT principles to teach flexibility in a meaningful, impactful way. Here’s how you can start mastering this approach.
The Importance of Psychological Flexibility
Psychological flexibility is a critical factor in overall well-being. It’s the ability to adapt to changing circumstances, accept difficult thoughts and emotions, and move forward purposefully.
Many of us can relate to how challenging flexibility can be at times. Maybe you’ve felt the frustration of a canceled plan or a sudden last-minute change. Now, imagine how overwhelming these curveballs might feel for learners who already struggle to adapt to new situations.
ACT emphasizes six key processes that build psychological flexibility, represented in the hexaflex model:
- Acceptance: Learning to open up to experiences rather than avoid discomfort.
- Present Moment Awareness: Staying grounded in the “here and now.”
- Cognitive Defusion: Creating distance from unhelpful thoughts instead of getting caught up in them.
- Self-As-Context: Understanding that we are more than our thoughts and feelings.
- Values: Identifying what truly matters to us.
- Committed Action: Taking steps toward those identified values.
Each component can be taught in ways that resonate with learners, helping them build the scaffolding for long-term success.
Moving Beyond Reinforcement
While reinforcement has long been a staple of ABA, teaching flexibility requires going further. It’s not just about “if you do this, then you get that.” It’s about connecting actions to intrinsic values.
For example, rather than saying, “Share your toy, and you’ll get the iPad,” you might help a learner understand that sharing builds friendships – a value many children relate to.
To help learners act on their values, you need to first help them discover what those values are. For younger children, values might look like “earning a fun reinforcer” or “playing with classmates.” For older learners with greater expressive language, values can revolve around making friends, participating in group activities, or pursuing hobbies like video gaming.
Once you’ve identified a learner’s personal values, you can guide them toward committed actions that align with those values. For example, if a learner values making new friends, practice social behaviors like taking turns, initiating conversations, and managing frustration. Show them how these behaviors are steps toward achieving their bigger goals. This approach makes learning more relevant and meaningful.
A Step-by-Step Approach to Teaching Flexibility in ABA
Even with defined values, teaching flexibility has its hurdles. The AIM curriculum, developed by Mark Dixon and Dana Paliliunas, shines in this area. AIM bridges the gap between theory and practice, using ACT concepts to foster psychological flexibility in structured lessons.
Each lesson aligns with one of the hexaflex dimensions – incorporating mindfulness, acceptance, and data-driven strategies to teach learners how to manage challenging situations.
For example, a classroom lesson might focus on present-moment awareness. Students could practice mindfulness techniques like deep breathing or guided imagery to stay focused on what’s happening right now rather than worrying about what might happen. Learners can become more comfortable navigating uncertainty and change through repeated exposure to these exercises.
AIM also encourages adapting lessons to your learner’s unique needs. You might integrate activities that use the language of acceptance, such as “It’s OK to feel nervous about trying something new.” Or highlight committed action by setting small, achievable goals. These elements create a structured yet flexible framework for teaching social and adaptive skills.
Incorporate the DNA-V Curriculum
The DNA-V model takes a slightly different approach. Standing for Discoverer, Noticer, Advisor, and Values, this curriculum involves learners moving through four roles:
- Discoverer: Exploring new activities and experiences.
- Noticer: Becoming aware of emotions, thoughts, and environment.
- Advisor: Recognizing the internal “voice” that gives advice, sometimes helpful, sometimes not.
- Values: Identifying guided principles that drive purposeful actions.
For instance, a learner might start with a noticing exercise, such as identifying how they feel in different social situations. They can then explore actions as a Discoverer, like trying out different ways to say hello to peers. The Advisor plays a role in recognizing when unhelpful thoughts – like “they won’t like me” – hold them back.
By identifying their values, learners see that saying hello is worth the effort because it aligns with their goal of making friends. The DNA-V curriculum offers a relatable, user-friendly way to build psychological flexibility through gradual, achievable steps while keeping values at the forefront.
The Practical Application in ABA
Combining ACT, AIM, and DNA-V principles into ABA creates a values-based teaching system that goes far beyond surface-level reinforcement. When students learn why flexibility matters and how it connects to their goals, they are far more likely to engage with the learning process.
For example, consider a group activity where students share toys. Instead of framing it as “share and get a token,” you could highlight how taking turns fosters collaboration, a key value for making friends. You might even create a token economy that rewards aspects of flexibility, like accepting someone else’s choice or handling a disappointing outcome calmly.
These subtler reinforcements teach deeper skills while still providing structure for success. By moving from transactional teaching methods to values-based learning, ABA practitioners empower students to build meaningful connections and adaptive thinking that will serve them across their lives.
Promoting adaptive thinking with ACT and its related curricula is a powerful way to help learners develop the psychological flexibility they need to thrive. By integrating concepts like the hexaflex and DNA-V into your ABA practice, you can show learners how their actions connect to their values. These strategies provide a richer, more meaningful framework for teaching skills; and they guide learners toward becoming flexible, resilient individuals ready to take on life’s challenges.
