Who PFA-SBT Can Help: A Look at Diagnoses
A diagnosis can provide useful context, but it does not tell us why a particular behavior is happening or which support will work.
Two people with the same diagnosis may engage in similar behavior for different reasons. FTF Behavioral Consulting trains professionals to look closely at the person, the circumstances in which behavior occurs, and what that behavior accomplishes for them.
We provide training to support professionals working with children and young adults across diagnoses. Whether someone has autism, Down syndrome, an intellectual disability, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or more than one diagnosis, the process begins with understanding their behavior and designing a plan around their needs.
Who PFA-SBT Can Help: A Look at Diagnoses
Professionals who come to us support people with a range of diagnoses. The examples below describe how PFA-SBT and related approaches can help some members of those populations.
Autism
An autism spectrum disorder diagnosis may be given to individuals who differ widely from each other in how they communicate, what they enjoy, the support they need, and the situations they find difficult. We train practitioners to learn about those individual factors and assess the conditions surrounding problem behavior before designing treatment. That process can guide support for emerging problem behavior or severe problem behavior.
Down Syndrome
A Down syndrome diagnosis does not, by itself, explain a person’s behavior. We train practitioners to consider how the individual communicates, what matters to them, and what is happening when problem behavior occurs. Assessment findings guide the skills taught and the support provided to each person, rather than assumptions based on diagnosis.
Intellectual Disabilities
People with intellectual disabilities have varied strengths and support needs. We train practitioners to individualize assessment and treatment to the person and their circumstances. The goal is a plan that addresses the behavior in question and teaches skills that are meaningful in that person’s life.
The Diagnosis Does Not Determine the Plan
As an internationally recognized behavioral consulting and training organization, we equip BCBAs, school teams, clinicians, and residential staff to apply this process with the people they support.
Across our work, we prioritize safety, dignity, and meaningful progress.
What if Someone Has Another Diagnosis or More Than One?
In our research and practice, we have seen individuals with other diagnoses and multiple diagnoses benefit from PFA-SBT. Some children with behavioral concerns and no formal diagnosis have also benefitted.
FTF’s approach to ABA consulting does not depend on a label. Instead, we train practitioners to assess the behaviors of concern, learn about the person and their environment, and use that information to develop and evaluate an individualized plan.
That plan is grounded in the same peer-reviewed research our consultants have contributed to.
Reach out and we'll help you map out what that looks like for your team.
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