FCT within Skills-Based Treatment Artwork

The How to ABA Podcast

We are Shira and Shayna and we are so excited to bring you our first podcast episode of How to ABA! We are both BCBAs with over twenty years of experience, and as you can imagine, we have created and gathered so many resources in that time. We want to share them with you! That’s why we are here, and that’s why we created this podcast. If you are new to the world of ABA, are looking for new resources, or just looking for a fresh perspective, you’re in the right place!

All Episodes

The How to ABA Podcast

FCT within Skills-Based Treatment

February 25, 2025 • Shira Karpel & Shayna Gaunt • Episode 191

Many of our learners struggle with being unable to communicate their basic wants and needs. In some cases, this can cause challenging behavior. Functional communication training, or FCT, is an effective way to build those important communication skills in our learners. Here, we discuss how to incorporate FCT within skills-based treatment.

We touch on why behavior doesn’t just serve a single function and how to introduce healthy communication as a replacement skill. We discuss Dr. Gregory Hanley’s approach to FCT and the importance of starting with a practical functional assessment. We also share some practical examples, the value of shaping, and why we should prioritize building healthy relationships with our learners.

What’s Inside:

How to incorporate FCT into skills-based treatment
How to introduce communication as a replacement skill
The importance of starting with a functional assessment

Mentioned In This Episode:

HowToABA.com/join
How to ABA on YouTube
Find us on Facebook
Follow us on Instagram
Cooperation Over Compliance Series