Performance problems occur when a person knows how to do something but won’t do it, while skill deficits happen when they can’t do it because they haven’t learned the skill yet.
What Are Performance Problems?
Performance problems mean your client has the skill but doesn’t use it when they should. Think of it like knowing how to ride a bike but choosing not to ride it to school.
Your client might demonstrate the behavior perfectly during practice sessions. But when it’s time to use that skill in real life, they don’t follow through.
This happens for many reasons. Maybe the behavior takes too much effort. Perhaps there’s no clear reward for doing it right. Or they might get something they want by not doing the behavior.
Performance problems show up everywhere in ABA work. A child might know how to ask for help politely but still grabs toys from others. They understand the right way but choose the wrong way because it gets faster results.
Understanding Skill Deficits
Skill deficits are different. Your client genuinely doesn’t know how to perform the behavior you want to see.
They might try their best but still struggle. Or they might not attempt the behavior at all because they have no idea where to start.
These deficits require direct teaching. You can’t expect someone to do something they’ve never learned. It’s like asking someone to speak French when they only know English.
Skill deficits often look obvious. The person clearly lacks the knowledge or ability to complete the task. But sometimes they’re harder to spot, especially when the person can do parts of a complex behavior but not the whole thing.
How to Tell Them Apart
The key difference lies in what happens during teaching trials and natural opportunities.
Watch your client during structured practice time. Can they do the behavior when you prompt them? Do they show the skill during discrete trial training but not during free play?
If yes, you’re likely dealing with a performance problem. The skill exists but needs better motivation to appear consistently.
Now observe them in natural settings. Do they never attempt the behavior, even with prompts? Do they seem confused about what you’re asking?
This points to a skill deficit. They need direct instruction before you can expect consistent performance.
Common Examples in ABA Settings
Performance problems might look like this: A student knows how to raise their hand but calls out answers anyway. They can demonstrate proper hand-raising during practice but forget during exciting lessons.
Another example: A child understands how to take turns but pushes ahead in line. They show perfect turn-taking skills during board games but struggle with playground equipment.
Skill deficits show up differently. A student might never initiate conversations because they don’t know conversation starters. Or a child might not respond to their name because they haven’t learned that their name means “look at the person talking.”
These examples highlight why proper assessment matters. The wrong approach wastes time and frustrates everyone involved.
Assessment Strategies
Start with direct observation across multiple settings. Watch your client during structured activities, free time, and natural routines.
Document when the behavior happens and when it doesn’t. Look for patterns that reveal whether knowledge or motivation is the issue.
Try prompting the behavior in different situations. If prompts work consistently, you’re seeing a performance problem. If prompts don’t help, suspect a skill deficit.
Use preference assessments to understand what motivates your client. Sometimes performance problems exist because current rewards aren’t strong enough to compete with other options.
Different Teaching Approaches
Performance problems need motivation-based solutions. Focus on making the right behavior more rewarding than the wrong behavior.
Increase reinforcement for correct responses. Make sure rewards happen immediately and consistently. Sometimes you need bigger or better rewards to compete with problem behaviors.
Reduce reinforcement for problem behaviors when possible. If a child gets attention for calling out, they might keep doing it even though they know how to raise their hand.
Environmental changes help too. Make the right behavior easier and the wrong behavior harder. Clear visual cues can remind clients to use skills they already have.
Skill deficits require direct teaching methods. Break complex behaviors into smaller steps. Teach each step systematically before putting them together.
Use prompting strategies to help your client succeed. Start with full prompts and fade them gradually as skills improve. Practice makes permanent, so ensure lots of successful repetitions.
Creating Effective Interventions
Match your intervention to the problem type. This saves time and reduces frustration for everyone.
For performance problems, focus on consequences. What happens after the behavior matters most. Make sure good behaviors lead to good outcomes consistently.
For skill deficits, focus on antecedents and teaching. What happens before and during the behavior matters most. Provide clear instructions, helpful prompts, and structured practice.
Monitor progress differently for each problem type. Performance problems should show quick improvement once motivation changes. Skill deficits need more time and systematic data collection.
Why This Matters for RBTs
Registered Behavior Technicians work directly with clients every day. Understanding performance problems versus skill deficits helps you implement programs more effectively.
You’ll spend less time on interventions that don’t match the problem. Your clients will make faster progress when you use the right approach from the start.
This knowledge also helps you communicate better with supervisors. You can provide clearer data about what’s working and what needs adjustment.
Moving Forward
Remember that some behaviors involve both performance problems and skill deficits. A client might know parts of a skill but need teaching for other parts.
Stay flexible in your approach. What looks like a performance problem might actually be a skill deficit, or vice versa. Good assessment and data collection help you adjust as needed.
The goal is always the same: help your clients succeed by using strategies that match their actual needs. Understanding the difference between can’t do and won’t do makes all the difference in ABA programming.