Who sets ABA therapy goals?

Goals are developed collaboratively by the BCBA, parents, and when appropriate, the child. The BCBA conducts assessments to identify skill gaps, parents provide input on priorities and family needs, and goals are individualized for each child. Goals are reviewed and updated regularly based on progress.

How many goals should a child have in ABA therapy?

A typical ABA program has 5-15 active goals at any time, though this varies by child and treatment intensity. Goals span multiple domains (communication, social skills, self-care, etc.). As goals are mastered, they move to maintenance and new goals are added.

How are ABA therapy goals measured?

Goals are measured through systematic data collection during sessions. Each goal has specific, measurable criteria (e.g., '80% accuracy across 3 consecutive sessions'). Data is graphed and analyzed to track progress and make treatment decisions.

What happens when my child masters a goal?

When a goal is mastered, it moves to a maintenance phase where it's practiced less frequently to ensure retention. The BCBA works on generalizing the skill to new settings and situations. Then new goals are introduced to continue building skills.

ABA Therapy Goals: Examples & How Goals Are Set

Understanding ABA Therapy Goals

ABA therapy goals are the foundation of an effective treatment program. Well-written goals are specific, measurable, and meaningful to the child's quality of life. This guide explains how goals are developed and provides examples across skill areas.

Characteristics of Good ABA Goals

Effective ABA therapy goals are:

Specific: Clearly describes the target behavior
Measurable: Can be counted or quantified
Achievable: Realistic for the child's current level
Relevant: Meaningful to the child's life
Time-bound: Has a target timeframe for mastery
Observable: Can be seen and documented
Functional: Serves a practical purpose

How Goals Are Developed

Assessment Phase

BCBA conducts comprehensive skill assessment (VB-MAPP, ABLLS-R, etc.)
Current skills and deficits are identified
Parent priorities and concerns are gathered
Developmental sequence is considered
Functional goals are prioritized

Goal Selection

Balance across skill domains
Build on existing strengths
Address barriers to learning
Consider prerequisite skills
Align with family values and culture

Example Goals by Domain

Communication Goals

Skill	Example Goal	Criteria
Requesting	Child will independently request preferred items using words or PECS	10 different items, 80% of opportunities, across 3 settings
Labeling	Child will label common objects when asked "What is it?"	50 items, 90% accuracy, across 3 consecutive sessions
Answering questions	Child will answer "What's your name?" and "How old are you?"	100% accuracy across 5 consecutive sessions
Conversation	Child will maintain a back-and-forth conversation for 3 exchanges	5 different topics, 80% of opportunities

Social Skills Goals

Skill	Example Goal	Criteria
Joint attention	Child will follow a point to look at objects	90% accuracy across 3 consecutive sessions
Parallel play	Child will play alongside peers for 5 minutes	Without adult prompting, 80% of opportunities
Turn-taking	Child will take turns during games with a peer	3 turn exchanges, 80% of opportunities, 5 different games
Greetings	Child will wave and say "hi" when greeted	Within 3 seconds, 90% of opportunities, across 3 people

Self-Care Goals

Skill	Example Goal	Criteria
Toilet training	Child will independently use toilet when needed	No accidents for 2 consecutive weeks
Dressing	Child will put on shirt independently	Within 2 minutes, 100% of steps, 5 consecutive days
Handwashing	Child will complete all handwashing steps	Without prompts, 90% of opportunities
Eating	Child will use utensils to eat meals	80% of bites, across 5 consecutive meals

Behavior Goals

Skill	Example Goal	Criteria
Following directions	Child will follow 1-step instructions within 5 seconds	90% accuracy, 10 different instructions
Waiting	Child will wait appropriately for 2 minutes	Without problem behavior, 80% of opportunities
Transitions	Child will transition between activities without crying	80% of transitions across 5 consecutive days
Tolerance	Child will accept "no" without tantrums	90% of occurrences across 1 week

Academic Readiness Goals

Skill	Example Goal	Criteria
Matching	Child will match identical objects	20 different pairs, 90% accuracy
Letters	Child will identify all uppercase letters	26 letters, 90% accuracy, random order
Counting	Child will count objects 1-10	With 1:1 correspondence, 90% accuracy
Sitting	Child will remain seated during table activities	For 10 minutes, 80% of intervals

Behavior Reduction Goals

Goals targeting challenging behaviors require additional considerations:

Example: Reducing Aggression

Baseline: Child hits others an average of 8 times per day
Goal: Reduce hitting to an average of 1 or fewer per day
Replacement behavior: Child will request break using words or card
Criteria: Average of ≤1 per day for 2 consecutive weeks

Key Elements for Behavior Goals

Always include a replacement behavior to teach
Define behavior specifically (what counts as hitting?)
Identify and address the function of behavior
Set realistic reduction targets
Focus on increasing positive behaviors

Tracking and Revising Goals

Data Collection Methods

Frequency: Counting occurrences
Percentage: Correct responses out of opportunities
Duration: How long behavior lasts
Latency: Time to respond
Trial-by-trial: Recording each attempt

When to Revise Goals

Goal is mastered—add new targets
No progress after adequate time—adjust teaching strategy
Goal proves too easy—increase difficulty
Goal proves unrealistic—break into smaller steps
Priorities change—revisit goal selection

Parent Involvement in Goals

Parents play a crucial role in the goal-setting process:

Share what skills would most help your family
Provide input on what motivates your child
Give feedback on whether goals are realistic
Report on generalization at home
Practice skills between sessions
Celebrate progress together