ABA Exam CoachLessons · F. Behavior Assessment
F.8 · Prioritizing behavior-change goals
You've finished the assessment, and now you have a pile of possible goals. How do you decide what to work on first? Let's go through how a behavior analyst ranks targets so the plan actually changes someone's life.
Key takeaway
Health and safety threats come first. After that, pick goals that are habilitative, like cusps, pivotal behaviors, or prerequisites, and that pass the relevance-of-behavior rule, meaning they'll keep earning natural reinforcement after treatment ends. Choose goals with the client and family, and make sure they fit the family's values, language, and context, not just staff convenience or a standard curriculum.
Health and safety threats come first. After that, pick goals that are habilitative, like cusps, pivotal behaviors, or prerequisites, and that pass the relevance-of-behavior rule, meaning they'll keep earning natural reinforcement after treatment ends. Choose goals with the client and family, and make sure they fit the family's values, language, and context, not just staff convenience or a standard curriculum.
Members get the full lesson video, notes and a 5-question test
The video walks through the idea, worked examples, the trap people fall into and an exam-style question. The notes and the checkpoint come with it, and your results feed your Where to focus plan.