Verbal Behavior Therapy
Verbal Behavior Therapy (VBT) teaches communication and language based on the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis and the theories of behaviorist B.F. Skinner.
A child without strong intraverbal skills might not interact appropriately in response to his peers’ verbal behavior, which may weaken further interactions. Verbal behavior capitalizes on the child’s own motivation and teaches the child to communicate what he desires. This ability to mand may reduce problematic behaviors that functioned as a means of obtaining his needs.
The Verbal Behavior intervention works on developing communication skills, including receptive and expressive language across the four verbal operants (see more below), which also includes working on gross and fine motor imitation and textual (writing) and listening (following instructions) skills.
Verbal Behavior Therapy integrates language by connecting words with intended purposes allowing students to learn how words can help get the desired objects or results.
VBT does not concentrate on words as labels but rather teaches children the benefits of using words and how useful it is in making requests or communicating ideas.
This therapy focuses on four-word types of language “operants”
The Sunshine Advantage
- Mand: a request
- Tact: a comment used to share an experience or draw attention
- Intraverbal: a word used to respond or answer a question
- Echoic: a repeated or echoed word, as imitating helps students learn
VBT and classic ABA depend on similar techniques, and VBT methods can be combined with an ABA program to achieve communication goals. Verbal Behavior Therapy uses a technique called “errorless learning,” which relies on immediate and frequent prompts to ensure that the student provides the correct response each time. Over time, these prompts are reduced. Eventually, the student no longer needs prompting to provide the correct response.
VBT programs require at least one-to-three hours of therapy per week, but more intensive programs can include many more hours. Therapists who provide and train to use verbal behavior strategies in their daily life include
- Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
- Special education teacher
- Speech and language pathologist
Each child presents a unique skill set; therefore, every program is individualized. Our programming is based on the Verbal Behavior Milestones and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) developmental curriculum. Data is collected daily for each skill taught as well as the number of skills mastered each week.
Mastered targets are reviewed regularly to ensure maintenance of the skills.
With Verbal Behavior Programs, Sunshine Advantage can:
- Ensure that each of the verbal operants are carefully taught
- Give careful attention to using reinforcement strategically and effectively, including efforts to pair instructors with reinforcement
- Teach manding at the beginning of programming
- Use signs to teach talking
- Use a pairing procedure to increase vocalizations
- Use a “cold probe” data collection system (data is collected on the first trial of a skill every day)