The Rewards Based Program for Autism at Springbrook

Children with autism spectrum disorder are naturally motivated by different incentives than other children. In particular, children with autism are less likely to experience social interactions, such as praise and friendship, as intrinsically rewarding, which can lead to other social and developmental delays later in life as well as behavioral issues.

The goal of the rewards based program at Springbrook is to find out what does motivate your child and to use that incentive to reward and reinforce desired behaviors. As students master certain skills or behaviors, such as teamwork, self-control, or joining behaviors, they begin to enjoy the innate rewards of accomplishment and social interaction—often as much as or more than they enjoy the tangible and measurable external rewards. Ideally, the goal is to phase out these external rewards.

Evidence-Based Principles of our Rewards Program

While there are many intervention methods in place for children with autism, few have research to back up their effectiveness. At Springbrook, we use evidence-based methods, such as Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), positive behavior support and intense behavioral therapy to create lasting change. Studies from the last three decades demonstrate that intensive behavioral therapy can not only result in short-term improvement in the maladaptive behavior but also in long-term improvements in social interactions, daily functioning, educational achievement, and self-regulation. One of the most important findings of ABA is that rewards, or immediate, tangible, positive consequences, will lead to positive behavior.

Key Principles of Our Rewards Based Program

While we do have to use negative reinforcement occasionally, especially where dangerous behaviors are concerned, we rely far more heavily on positive reinforcement, which is the best way to change behavior long-term.

Combine Tangible Rewards with Intangible Rewards

Since children with autism are less likely to find naturally occurring rewards like praise or touch to be motivating, it makes sense to begin with tangible rewards paired with, or reinforced by, intangible rewards. Over time, the naturally occurring rewards become motivating in and of themselves. We love seeing actions that used to be a trigger for our a student, such as a hug or other kind of physical closeness, turn into a reward.

Make it Fun—And Make Success Easy at First

Unfortunately, by the time our students come to us, they usually have a history of failure, especially when it comes to learning new skills. Because of this, we work hard to help the students learn and improve in a low-risk, fun environment. By starting with small, simple, measurable steps, students can see success quickly, leading to greater success with more complicated tasks.

Make it Personal

Even within the autism spectrum, every student is different. As a parent, you know that your child is unique—but too often autism programs forget this fact and treat all children with autism as if they were the same person. Any approach that is not highly individualized will be ineffective, because what motivates one child will completely fail to motivate another. Our dedicated staff spends time figuring out who your child is, and what your child likes, so that our rewards based program will be more successful.

Learn More About Our Reward Based Program for Autism

Contact us at (864) 834-8013 to learn about our rewards based program and our other therapy programs for children with autism—we would love to help your child overcome a destructive behavior while also paving the way for future academic and social success.

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Contact us at (864) 834-8013 to make a referral to our child and adolescent behavioral health program or our inpatient autism programs for children and adolescents.

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