Introducing New Interests

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By Nahoma Presberg, MS BCBA NYS-LBA

Behavior analysis can support the improvement of an individual’s quality of life in a wide variety of ways. We can teach language and functional skills as well as help clients find replacements and alternatives for unsafe behaviors. We can also help clients develop a wider repertoire of leisure skills that can support the enjoyment of free time and broader access to the world around them.

There’s no better feeling than when you can see someone getting more comfortable and curious to explore and try new things. Introducing new interests really has the power to change someone’s life in a meaningful way. However, this task can be extremely complex and requires a lot of intentionality from the therapists.

So, what are some things to keep in mind when you’re working with a client on developing new interests?

  1. Be patient. Familiarity often leads to enjoyment. When we’re more comfortable with an activity, it’s easier to relax into it and have it be a true leisure skill. One of the characteristics of autism is preferring to stay within routines and familiarity. This means that it can be difficult to try new things. It may evoke feelings of anxiety or nervousness in our clients (and probably ourselves too!) Take your time, it will be worth it.
  2. Abandon expectations. There are endless things that people find interesting in this world. Some are more popular, while others might be more niche. While we know that shared interests can help facilitate social skills and make developing friendships easier, it’s important that we listen to our clients about what is genuinely interesting. From there, we can help them tap into various social communities that share these interests. The same can’t be said in reverse order.
  3. Get creative. You never know what’s going to click. Get comfortable exploring the process with your client and have fun with it!
  4. Respect autonomy. New interests is a great opportunity to let your learner take the lead more than they might get to otherwise. This is an opportunity to understand how they approach things and what gets them excited.
  5. Get curious. You never know what might work!
  6. Be careful about what you’re reinforcing: When you’re introducing new activities, materials, etc. towards the intent of supporting the development of new interests, it can be easy to want to reinforce compliance behaviors or task completion behaviors. However, finding new interests is often about the process and we want to make sure that we’re reinforcing willingness to try, flexibility, curiosity and other behaviors that support the client’s ability to engage with you. Remember, it’s about the process and the process should be fun!

About the Author

Nahoma Presberg, MS BCBA NYS-LBA, is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Nahoma obtained their master’s degree at the University of Rochester in Human Development. They have been working with clients in their homes for the past 6 years but has over a decade of experience supporting children with developmental disabilities. Nahoma is passionate about neurodiversity affirming care and thoughtful programming that helps every client thrive.

For more information about Nahoma, you can visit their website at https://www.nahomapresberg.com/.

Written by: Different Roads to Learning on April 25, 2025.
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