Ep. 70: Modernizing ABA Assessment – Flexibility, Self-Awareness, and Real-Life Skills

Every BCBA and teacher has lived the moment: you pour months into an intervention… only to open an assessment and think, “Wait. Where did all that progress go?”

In this episode, Caitlin sits down with Casey Barron and Dr. Anika Hoybjerg—creators of the Meaningful Outcomes Treatment and Assessment Scale (MOTAS)—to talk about why so many traditional tools miss the skills that matter most, and how the MOTAS fills those gaps with flexible, functional, and family-aligned assessment practices.

🔑 Key Takeaways
• Why MOTAS? It addresses gaps in VB-MAPP/ABLLS/AFLS—especially flexibility, perspective taking, self-awareness, and AAC communication.
• Flexibility Matters: Rigid routines often block participation, independence, and community access—yet many assessments don’t measure this growth.
• Generalization Is Built In: The MOTAS scoring system highlights independence and generalization & maintenance from the start.
• One Scoring System: A consistent 0–5 scale across all 20 domains makes scoring faster, clearer, and more useful for treatment planning.
• Insurance-Friendly: The DSM-5 criteria and medical necessity links are included—huge time-savers for BCBAs writing plans and submitting authorizations.
• Comprehensive Without Being Overwhelming: Practitioners can use a whole domain or just supplement missing areas like AAC, self-awareness, or perspective taking.
• Practical for All Ages: Designed for ages 5+, with an early-learner (0–5) version coming in 2026.

📦 Resources & Links
• Learn more about the MOTAS through Different Roads to Learning (ask the creators for their 20% discount!)
• Follow MOTAS updates from Casey & Anika → [e-mail] and https://abilearningcenter.com/
• Related Episodes:
Crisis Cycle → https://abainschool.com/ep57
FBA Mini-Series → https://abainschool.com/ep31part1
• Join the Misfit Behaviorists Facebook Group → https://abainschool.com/misfits

🤝 Join Us
💬 Tell us if you’ve tried the MOTAS or want to! Drop your thoughts in the Misfit Behaviorists Facebook Group.
🎧 Subscribe on YouTube or your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode.
📢 Tag us on Instagram when you try a goal or domain from the MOTAS—we love seeing what resonates!

Join the Facebook group for collaboration and freebies: The Misfit Behaviorists

😍 More, you say? We’re here for you!

• Apple podcast | The Misfit Behaviorists
• Instagram | @‌themisfitbehaviorists
• YouTube | @‌themisfitbehaviorists

👋 Find us!

• Audra | ABA in School
• Caitlin | Beltran’s Behavior Basics
• Sami | B.A.S.S.

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