The Importance of Recognition

Journal 6

Observing children’s growth and success is my favorite part about being a Registered Behavior Technician. It is amazing to see a child who once did not know how to use a broom walk and go grab one himself after eating with no demands. It is so cool to have a child request to do the dishes – something he could not do before – for the simple reinforcer of completing a task and feeling proud. This is what I work for. I have had people comment on a client’s progress in a school setting and follow up with “Did you do that?”. The answer is no; these kids did that. Yes, I helped. I gave them a gentle push, but ultimately, the effort and hard work was all their part. This is truly inspiring.

I have found that most children are aware of where they could improve. The presence of more stimming or self-injurious behavior may suggest aggravation, a sense of being upset that an activity is more difficult to complete. In the case of a verbal child, I have been directly asked if we can work on a certain activity to progress more difficult skills. The parents are, again, essential to holding this perspective. What happens when a parent doesn’t support and praise their child for his or her accomplishments? This can result in learned helplessness, fatigue, depression, and stagnation, to name a few.

Parents of children with autism directly model how their children should behave. In the field of Applied Behavior Analysis, we believe that all behaviors are learned. I recognize and understand that parenting of any child can be frustrating, but I believe that frustration should be controlled to an extent so that aggressive behaviors are not passed down to children. Impatience is another factor that can contribute to a child’s sense of deficiency. I have observed parents that, while running out the door, hurry to put on their child’s jackets and shoes. Unfortunately, the kids will never learn this way if it is always done for them.

Of course, parenting a child with autism can not be done alone. A UC San Fransisco study found that "about 50% of all mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) had elevated levels of depressive symptoms over 18 months, while rates were much lower (6% to 13.6%) for mothers with neurotypical children in the same period.” Parents of children with autism require more support. This is why I hope to make a change in the autism community by both raising awareness and bringing families together. I believe that getting to know other families could be a great first step. Events such as parent’s night outs, children’s play groups, movie nights, etc., could be a great way to incorporate a sense of support in the community. Parents can share their knowledge this way and children can learn to be more social, learn that there are others like them.

I believe that some sort of ministry could also be beneficial to parents of children with autism. A research article posted to the Journal of Clinical Psychology found that in relation to mental illness, “religious support and enduring with faith were positively associated with recovery. Struggling was negatively associated with recovery, and that relationship was mediated by religious support.” (Webb et. Al, 2011). I believe that I can use my religion to positively support the autism community in this way, and hopefully have this positively affect children’s success.

Resources

Saris, M. (n.d.). Stress and the autism parent. Kennedy Krieger Institute. Retrieved April 2, 2023, from https://www.kennedykrieger.org/stories/interactive-autism-network-ian/stress-and-autism-parent

Webb, M., Charbonneau, A. M., McCann, R. A., & Gayle, K. R. (2011). Struggling and enduring with god, religious support, and recovery from severe mental illness. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 67(12), 1161–1176. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20838