ABA Physical Therapy Course

Lesson 1 • Physiotherapy Core Concepts

Introduces musculoskeletal, neurological, and cardiopulmonary physiotherapy domains. Provides the anatomical and functional baseline required for ABA integration.

Lesson 2 • Ethical and Professional Standards

Reviews ethical codes governing both ABA practitioners and physiotherapists. Establishes professional conduct expectations for integrated practice.

Lesson 3 • Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis

Covers the seven dimensions of ABA and their clinical relevance. Connects behavioral science to physiotherapy goal-setting and patient outcomes.

Lesson 1 • Reinforcement in Rehabilitation Settings

Defines positive and negative reinforcement and their application to exercise compliance. Connects reinforcement schedules to patient motivation and treatment persistence.

Lesson 2 • Shaping and Chaining Motor Skills

Applies shaping and task analysis to break complex movements into teachable steps. Builds the skill-sequencing foundation needed for motor rehabilitation programs.

Lesson 3 • Stimulus Control and Cueing

Explores how antecedent stimuli control therapeutic behavior and movement. Students use cueing hierarchies to prompt correct exercise execution.

Lesson 4 • Extinction and Behavior Reduction

Teaches extinction procedures to reduce maladaptive behaviors interfering with therapy. Students distinguish extinction from punishment and apply each appropriately.

Lesson 1 • Identifying Behavioral Functions

Teaches the four functions of behavior and their relevance to therapy non-compliance. Students match function-based hypotheses to physiotherapy treatment barriers.

Lesson 2 • Integrated Assessment Report Writing

Guides students in synthesizing behavioral and physical data into a unified clinical report. Develops professional documentation skills required for interdisciplinary teams.

Lesson 3 • Functional Behavior Assessment Methods

Covers indirect, descriptive, and experimental FBA methods in clinical settings. Students select appropriate methods based on patient presentation and setting constraints.

Lesson 1 • Individualized Treatment Plan Design

Structures a complete treatment plan incorporating behavioral and physical interventions. Students sequence interventions by priority and patient readiness.

Lesson 2 • Writing Measurable Behavioral Goals

Teaches the components of observable, measurable behavioral objectives in clinical contexts. Students convert vague patient complaints into precise, trackable goal statements.

Lesson 3 • Physiotherapy Goal Frameworks

Applies established goal-setting frameworks to physiotherapy rehabilitation planning. Connects physical outcome measures to behavioral performance criteria.

Lesson 1 • Crisis and Challenging Behavior Protocols

Prepares students to manage challenging behaviors that disrupt physiotherapy sessions safely. Covers de-escalation, safety planning, and post-incident documentation.

Lesson 2 • Naturalistic Teaching in Rehabilitation

Uses naturalistic teaching strategies to embed skill practice in functional daily activities. Connects incidental teaching to real-world generalization of physical skills.

Lesson 3 • Discrete Trial Training in Motor Contexts

Adapts discrete trial training to teach isolated motor skills and exercise components. Students structure trials, deliver reinforcement, and record inter-trial data.

Lesson 4 • Behavioral Activation for Pain Management

Applies behavioral activation principles to address pain-related avoidance in physiotherapy. Students design graded activity schedules that reduce fear-avoidance behavior.

Lesson 1 • Data-Based Decision Making

Applies decision rules to determine when to continue, modify, or discontinue interventions. Students practice making clinical decisions using real and simulated data sets.

Lesson 2 • Behavioral Data Collection Systems

Covers frequency, duration, latency, and interval recording methods for clinical use. Students select the most valid measurement system for each target behavior.

Lesson 3 • Physiotherapy Outcome Measurement

Introduces validated physical outcome measures for strength, range of motion, and function. Students administer and score measures accurately and interpret results clinically.

Lesson 1 • Geriatric ABA Physiotherapy

Adapts behavioral and physical interventions for older adults with complex comorbidities. Students address fall prevention, cognitive decline, and motivation in aging populations.

Lesson 2 • Neurological Rehabilitation and Behavior

Examines behavioral challenges arising from acquired brain injury, stroke, and neurological conditions. Students apply ABA strategies to improve rehabilitation engagement and motor relearning.

Lesson 3 • Pediatric ABA Physiotherapy

Addresses developmental considerations when applying ABA to children in physiotherapy. Students design play-based, age-appropriate interventions that target motor milestones.

Lesson 1 • Quality Improvement in Clinical Practice

Applies quality improvement cycles to identify and resolve clinical performance gaps. Students use data-driven methods to enhance service delivery and patient outcomes.

Lesson 2 • Capstone Case Formulation

Integrates all course competencies into a comprehensive case formulation and treatment plan. Students present and defend clinical decisions using behavioral and physiotherapy evidence.

Lesson 3 • Discharge Planning and Long-Term Outcomes

Prepares students to plan safe, effective discharge with behavioral maintenance strategies. Connects discharge criteria to long-term functional and behavioral outcome goals.

Lesson 4 • Single-Subject Research Designs

Covers reversal, multiple baseline, and alternating treatment designs for clinical research. Students select and implement designs that demonstrate intervention effectiveness.