Why Communication Is the First Skill We Teach in ABA

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There’s a little one at our clinic who loves food. Truly loves it.

For a long time, when she was hungry, she would grab a staff member’s hand and pull them toward the front of the clinic. The staff knew she wanted something. They just didn’t always know what.

Now she can ask for food herself. And she does, constantly. It’s gotten to the point where almost every time we see her, she’s letting us know she needs a snack right now.

We laugh about it, but it’s one of our favorite things to see. It’s also a perfect example of why communication is usually the first big skill we work on.

Communication is a behavior cusp

In behavior analysis, a behavior cusp is a skill that opens the door to new reinforcement, new people, and new places. (We break down the full definition in our post on behavior cusps vs. pivotal behaviors.)

Communication might be the biggest cusp there is. Once a learner can tell people what they want, everything gets easier. They can get food, a break, a favorite toy, or a hug, without anyone having to guess.

That’s why, when a learner is really struggling with communication, it’s usually where we start. It unlocks the world for them, and it’s fun to watch. You can almost see the light bulb go on.

Behavior is communication

Here’s the part that’s easy to miss. Our little food lover was already communicating when she pulled staff to the front. It just wasn’t a form most people could read.

This idea goes back to a landmark 1985 study by Edward Carr and Mark Durand. They found that some challenging behavior, like tantrums or aggression, can serve the same purpose as words. The behavior and the words look different, but they get the person the same thing.

So Carr and Durand taught children a simple way to ask for what their behavior had been getting them, like help with a hard task or attention. When the asking worked, the challenging behavior went down. That approach became known as functional communication training (FCT), and it’s now one of the most widely used and researched tools in ABA.

For parents, this is a big mindset shift. A meltdown might not be your child “being bad.” It might be the clearest message they know how to send.

Communication doesn’t have to be talking

When we say communication, we don’t only mean speech. Pointing counts. Picture exchange counts. Signing counts. A speech-generating device counts.

If it works for the learner and people understand it, it’s functional.

Research backs this up. In a 1999 study, Mark Durand taught students with severe disabilities to use communication devices. Then he looked at what happened out in the community. People in everyday settings responded to the students’ requests, and their challenging behavior decreased there too. Communication that strangers can understand travels with the learner.

We’ve been seeing that play out with another kiddo. He has had a hard time communicating for as long as we’ve known him, which has been a long time. Recently, he started typing.

It’s been amazing to think about all the doors that could open for him now. And it’s thanks to a lot of hard work from him and his team.

Never assume a learner doesn’t have skills

That story points to something we feel strongly about. Things aren’t always what they seem.

Think about how many places might have written this kiddo off. It’s not fair to assume a learner doesn’t have skills. Yes, there may be a lot of work to do. But that’s a lot of work from our perspective, not necessarily from the learner’s. Our job is to keep looking for the right door.

What this means for you

For clinicians: When you’re building a treatment plan, ask which goal will open the most doors. If a learner has no reliable way to ask for what they want, that’s usually your first priority. Use whatever form of communication the learner can actually use and others can understand.

For parents: If your child’s challenging behavior seems to come out of nowhere, ask what they might be trying to tell you. And if your BCBA is starting with communication goals, that’s a good sign. They’re working on the skill that makes everything else easier.

Key takeaways

1. Communication is one of the biggest behavior cusps a learner can reach.
2. Challenging behavior is often a form of communication.
3. Functional communication training teaches a clearer way to ask for the same thing.
4. Communication can be pointing, pictures, signs, devices, or typing, not just speech.
5. Never assume a learner doesn’t have skills. Keep looking for the door.

Hear the full story in our episode on behavior cusps and pivotal behaviors on The BC(BAes) Podcast.

References

• Carr, E. G., & Durand, V. M. (1985). Reducing behavior problems through functional communication training. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 18(2), 111–126. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1985.18-111
• Durand, V. M. (1999). Functional communication training using assistive devices: Recruiting natural communities of reinforcement. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 32(3), 247–267. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1999.32-247
• Rosales-Ruiz, J., & Baer, D. M. (1997). Behavioral cusps: A developmental and pragmatic concept for behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 30(3), 533–544. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1997.30-533