Early Intensive Behaviour Intervention (EIBI)
Our Early Intensive Behaviour Intervention (EIBI) is an extensive program delivered in-home, at preschool or in-clinic by a small team of practitioners and overseen by a program manager.
A typical EIBI program involves between 12 and 25 hours of therapy a week with an Aspire clinician, an independent therapist or a combination of both.
Through fortnightly team meetings and parent coaching, together we set goals for your child’s development and regularly review and update your child’s plan accordingly.
Contact us for more information or to book an initial assessment for your child.
Behaviour is largely a product of its environment
Behaviour is strengthened or weakened by its consequences
Behaviour ultimately responds better to positive than negative consequences
Behaviours need to be reinforced or disciplined before significant change will occur
Early Intensive Behaviour Intervention (EIBI) is the implementation of the four principles of behaviour based on the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM).
Our approach to EIBI therapy
At Aspire, we take a best practice approach to EIBI therapy that promotes strategies to teach pro-social behaviour while reducing barriers to learning, such as reduced motivation, and behaviours that prevent children from accessing mainstream supports or engaging with their community.
One of our primary goals is for children to learn to make choices, be independent and autonomous. We like to teach them to advocate for themselves and communicate this effectively.
We undertake Functional Behaviour Assessments (FBA) with our clients to gather information about the child’s behaviour, triggers and consequences.
Through this process, we learn how and why barriers to learning are occuring. With this knowledge, together with families, we can then develop positive behaviour intervention strategies to achieve the best possible outcomes for the child.
How can EIBI benefit autism
EIBI focuses on building rapport and uses motivation to promote pro-social behaviours and skills that teach autonomy and choice.
Our approach to learning has been proven to help autistic children focus their attention, imitate, develop their language skills and promote play.
A variety of techniques can be used as part of EIBI therapy, including:
Natural Environment Training/Incidental teaching
Natural Environment Training (NET) is when skills are taught or generalised within a child’s natural environment. It’s particularly useful in the development of social skills, communication and play skills.
Natural environments are the places in which a child typically interacts with people on a daily basis, such as at home or (pre)school. These environments are where a child’s learning and communication skills should be developed and training should be ongoing.
The goal of NET is for a child to independently interact with others in these environments and to learn in and from their environment. Reinforcement is built into the activity itself and the child’s interaction with others.
Often the natural environment does not provide opportunities for a child to learn new skills, so NET “creates” situations that promote skill development.
At Aspire, we can assist you in teaching your child how to learn in, and from their natural environment. Our programs will help you create NET opportunities in your child’s natural environment and teach you how to accurately document their response.
Discrete Trial Training
Discrete Trial Training (DTT) is a technique for managing many learning opportunities by breaking down complete skills into small, manageable steps. This enables a child to master simple skills that make up a larger skill set. DTT teaching builds upon mastered skills to tackle more complex skills.
Initially, an errorless learning approach is adopted for teaching new skills, so the child is successful and feels competent in achieving skills independently. As soon as a new skill is mastered in a discreet setting, it must be generalised in a natural environment, such as at home or (pre)school.
At Aspire, our clinicians are specifically trained on how to implement mixed programs that combine Natural Environment Training with DTT to promote skill development and improve generalisation.
Verbal Behaviour framework
The Verbal Behaviour framework teaches children to use language and communication in a way that is relevant to them and their environment.
As children on the spectrum often have difficulty learning how to learn, Aspire’s initial goal is to engage your child so they develop motivation and want to learn. This promotes learning and improved retention and generalisation of mastered skills. It also enhances a child’s ability to use language in a functional way, as opposed to rote repetition.
Verbal behaviour does not need to be vocal. At Aspire, we work with children who communicate via sign language, Picture Exchange Communication System, Word/Text Communication System or writing.
Rational Frame Theory
Relational Frame Theory (RFT) suggests that the key to language and cognition is the ability to relate concepts.
For example, if you use the word “sleepytime” before, during and after preparing your child for bed, they’d connect the word “sleepytime” with going to bed. If you then told your child that “bedtime” was another word for “sleepytime”, they should be able to easily connect the new word to the same event.
RFT focuses on teaching children how to learn from their environment. Aspire clinicians use specific techniques and programming so children can derive new skills themselves, rather than receiving explicit instruction, as they would in DTT.
Contact us for more information or to book an initial assessment for your child.
