What Is It?

"Sisu" is the Finnish word for determination. Sisu is key to a caregiver's role in teaching and nurturing their learner. The Sisu Skills curriculum is designed specifically for the caregivers of learners with autism. It puts the power in the caregiver’s hands to teach their learner themselves using the techniques of applied behavior analysis (ABA), with support from a behavior analyst.

First, the behavior analyst will administer the Sisu Skills assessment with the caregiver, to automatically identify goals for the learner with autism from the Sisu Skills curriculum, which includes pre-written programs to teach social skills, communication, play skills, and more. The Sisu Skills Assessment will also identify potential goals for their caregiver from the Sisu Skills: Behavior Analyst Companion Guide, to include collecting ABC data, identifying functions of behavior, using prompts, delivering instructions, collecting data, and more.

The behavior analyst will then use the Companion Guide to teach these skills to the caregiver, so that the caregiver can then run the programs from the Sisu Skills curriculum themselves with their learner at home.

Designed by a behavior analyst for children with autism
200+ customizable skill program templates
Built-in caregiver training
Assessments for client AND caregiver
Downloadable multimedia templates, including videos, flashcards and training handouts
Online data collection and progress tracking

Why Should You Use It?

“The ultimate purpose of ABA therapy is to equip the autistic learner with the skills needed to communicate, self-advocate, form meaningful connections with others, and live a joyful life. However, the very best efforts of behavior analysts and ABA therapists can only go so far if the learner’s caregiver does not know how to utilize the techniques of ABA outside of therapy. Very often, a learner will acquire a new skill in therapy, but due to a lack of focus on caregiver training, that skill is only shown in therapy, and not in the “real world” of the home, school, playground, or grocery store, where it really matters. Moreover, it can sometimes be difficult and time-consuming to identify meaningful goals for the caregiver, teach the underlying scientific concepts of ABA, and then train the caregiver on the practical application of those concepts, especially when the ABA program is often focused so heavily and exclusively on learner goals. Sisu Skills seeks to address these problems by streamlining the process of identifying goals for the learner and the caregiver with an easy-to-use assessment, and by not only providing a skill curriculum for the learner, but also for the caregiver. ”

— Sara Morris, program author

How Does It Work?

“The Sisu Skills assessment will be administered via UnitusTI to the caregiver. It is written in layman’s terms, and consists of multiple-choice questions about the learner and caregiver skill repertoires.

This assessment will automatically yield a list of skill acquisition programs from the Sisu Skills Caregivers Training, which may be appropriate for the learner based on the caregiver’s responses.

It will also yield a list of caregiver training programs from the Sisu Skills Companion Guide, which may be appropriate for the caregiver. From there, the behavior analyst can assign these programs to the learner and caregiver, and customize the templates to suit their individual needs. After that, the behavior analyst will use UnitusTI to implement the selected caregiver training programs, and collect data to track progress.

During this process, the caregiver will learn to implement and collect data on the learner’s skill acquisition programs themselves on UnitusTI.”

— Sara Morris, program author

Delivered through the UnitusTI electronic data records cloud

Access from any device, anywhere in the world

The program is delivered to professionals via subscription to the UnitusTI electronic data records (EDR) cloud.

Leading-edge data collection, staff and client management tools and program templates are built right into UnitusTI.

See instant data and quickly graph progress to make informed decisions
Provide reports and share relevant data securely with others
Track staff performance and give them collaboration tools to keep your practice on track
Customizable data collection means you can track as much or as little as you need to keep business humming and your clients happy

UnitusTI features include:

About the Author

Sara Morris has been in the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy since 2015, and has provided ABA services including assessment, caregiver training, and treatment planning in home, community, school, and center settings. Her favorite thing about ABA is that it can empower the learner to self-advocate and connect with others. She deeply values the caregiver as the most important part of the learner’s ABA team, because the caregiver always has unique strengths and insights to share.

Sara holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Winthrop University, and a Master’s Degree in Exceptional Student Education with a Specialization in Applied Behavior Analysis. She was recently appointed as the 2023-2024 President of the Oklahoma Association for Behavior Analysis (OKABA). She also has a YouTube channel called Modern Day ABA, with which she provides resources and information about autism and ABA to caregivers, ABA staff, and teachers.

Website

The content described above is owned and copyrighted by the program author and is provided by Mundo Pato Inc. as an optional, 3rd party add-on to the UnitusTI electronic data records cloud service. Some of the information on this web page has been provided by external sources. Mundo Pato Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy, reliability or currency of the information supplied by external sources. Users wishing to rely upon this information should consult directly with the source of the information.

Sisu SKILLS