FAQ: Will ABA Change My Child's Personality?
September 9, 2026

The Straight Answer


No. It shouldn’t. Real ABA is tailored to each child and works along with their personality. Therefore, if anything, it should actually foster the confidence and autonomy to allow their personality to flourish!

Why the Misconception?


In past times, ABA has taken a more coercive and compliance based approach. For example, forcing eye contact, attempting to stop (safe) stimming and attempting to force masking. In application, this can suppress one’s true personality, and add additional stress to their already taxed nervous systems. But what about now?


The Reality


Like any medical field, ABA has come a long way in shaping the practice to support autistic individuals, not supress them. ABA clinics now do not force habits that are wholly unnecessary and may be needlessly stressful to autistic individuals like eye contact, or supress sensory needs that may be met through (safe) stimming. The focus is put, not on attempting to make an autistic child “normal,” but on teaching that child skills to navigate the world with as little additional stress as possible. For example, an autistic child may not know how to effectively communicate their needs, resulting in unsafe behaviors, confusion from others, and isolation and frustration for the individual themselves. ABA can come alongside that child, using evidence based and child led approaches to understand where the child is coming from, why they are behaving the way they are, and what would help them to communicate their need in a way that is simple for both them and those to which they need to communicate it to. This fosters connection between the child and their community, as well as autonomy and confidence because the child is growing their ability to express themselves. ABA can help a child to connect with those around them, access and implement coping skills effectively, understand themselves and their needs, succeed in the the things they want to do, and all-in-all spend less time feeling stressed and more time being them.


So no, ABA will not change your child’s personality. Each and every child is unique and deserves the opportunity to live their life to the full—and that’s exactly what we aim to do.

By Laugh And Learn Therapy • October 4, 2026
Parent training and collaboration in Flint, MI equips caregivers with strategies to support therapy goals at home through regular updates, check-ins, and hands-on education.
September 29, 2026
Play based therapy (or Natural Environment Teaching) uses every day, relaxed play to create a therapeutic bond and teach skills.
September 29, 2026
When a child starts ABA for the first time, some parents and clinicians have noted the occurrence of a so-called “honeymoon” phase, where the child is extremely happy to be at the clinic and is picking up new skills with very little resistance
September 9, 2026
Whether you’re starting ABA therapy and looking to get a better understanding of the principles, or you’re trying to help your child with behavioral challenges at home, the ABCs of ABA is a great acronym to use!
By Laugh And Learn Therapy • September 4, 2026
Social skills training in Waterford, MI helps children understand social interactions, engage with peers, and develop communication skills through evidence-based group programs.
By Laugh And Learn Therapy • September 4, 2026
School readiness programs in Davison, MI prepare children for kindergarten by building foundational skills needed for academic success and classroom participation through ABA therapy.
By Laugh And Learn Therapy • September 4, 2026
Natural environment training in Howell, MI helps children generalize skills learned in structured sessions to everyday situations and real-world contexts through ABA therapy.
August 4, 2026
Should your child do ABA therapy at home or at a clinic in Flint? Learn how treatment planning — not guesswork — guides this decision for your family.
July 28, 2026
What is it? NET is one of the main ways that children practice and learn social, emotional and behavioral skills in ABA Therapy. As the name suggests, this style of teaching leans into the natural environment, utilizing play sessions to teach a child how to safely interact, communicate, and regulate. How does this work? How it Works During an NET session, the client comes into contact with many different toys, people, choices and interactions. All of these can be utilized in a fun and engaging way to naturally expand and test a child’s abilities. NET also allows the client opportunity to choose what to play with, building confidence and rapport with those around them. This allows the skills taught during ABA to become more relevant to the child’s life and easier to generalize into their daily routine. NET can also encourage a child to WANT to learn more, being that what they are learning highly relates to activities and people that they prefer to engage with. When it Shines NET is often paired with structured learning as well. This is sometimes referred to as “DTT” or “Table Time.” During these sessions, a child learns how to perform tasks such as labeling items/people, answering questions, following simple directions or imitating gross motor movements in a structured environment. These skills are then naturally brought up during NET. For example, let’s say a child learns the word “apple” during Table Time. Then, in a play session using the play kitchen, the child interacts with a toy apple. The therapist may make use of this, bringing the apple into play. By utilizing these two forms together, the child gets a vary well rounded session.
July 28, 2026
What is Required