What is the primary technique used for teaching adaptive behaviors?

The primary technique used for teaching adaptive behaviors is task analysis. This method involves breaking down complex skills or behaviors into smaller, manageable steps that can be taught incrementally. By analyzing a task in this way, educators can identify specific components that need to be taught for the student to perform the entire behavior successfully.

For example, if teaching a student how to brush their teeth, the process can be divided into distinct steps such as picking up the toothbrush, applying toothpaste, brushing in a circular motion, rinsing, and putting the toothbrush away. Each of these steps can be taught individually, allowing students to master each one before combining them into the complete behavior.

In contrast, while chained responses, modeling, and reinforcement are also important techniques in behavior instruction, they serve different purposes or contexts. Chained responses focus on linking together a sequence of actions or behaviors, modeling involves demonstrating a behavior for the student to imitate, and reinforcement is about using rewards to strengthen desired behaviors. However, task analysis specifically targets the systematic breakdown of adaptive skills, making it the most effective primary technique for this purpose.