By Matt Harrington, BCBA · Behaviorist Book Club · Research-backed answers for behavior analysts
TIP typically includes the following steps in sequence: (1) Introduce the skill and provide a rationale explaining why it matters; (2) Describe the component behaviors of the skill in observable, behavioral terms; (3) Model the skill, demonstrating correct performance; (4) Provide a structured rehearsal opportunity for the learner; (5) Deliver specific behavioral feedback identifying what was performed correctly and what needs adjustment; and (6) Repeat rehearsal and feedback until the learner meets the criterion for the current training condition. The exact step labels vary by source, but this sequence is the procedural core.
The rationale-giving step transforms TIP from behavioral rehearsal into rule-governed instruction. By explaining why a social behavior is effective — what function it serves in social interactions — practitioners give learners a verbal rule that can guide behavior in novel contexts where the instructor is not present. This is critical for generalization: a learner who knows not just what to do but why is more likely to apply the skill when stimulus conditions vary. Skipping the rationale step reduces TIP to rehearsal with feedback, which may produce accurate performance in training conditions without producing flexible, generalized social competence.
TIP can be applied to a wide range of social skills as long as those skills can be operationally defined in terms of observable component behaviors. Commonly targeted skills include greeting exchanges, conversation initiation and maintenance, requesting assistance, responding to feedback, resolving disagreements, accepting consequences, and more complex skills like perspective-taking expressions and emotional self-disclosure. The procedure is well-suited for skills that have a defined sequence of component behaviors — it is less appropriate for social skills that are highly topographically variable and context-dependent, where shaping in natural environments may be more effective.
TIP addresses generalization primarily through the rationale-giving component, which produces rule-governed behavior that can extend beyond the specific training stimuli. However, rationale alone is insufficient for most learners. Generalization must also be programmed through systematic variation of instructors, settings, materials, and social partners during rehearsal; through the use of multiple exemplars; through training loosely to allow natural variation; and through transfer of training from structured rehearsal to naturalistic contexts. BCBAs implementing TIP should develop explicit generalization programming plans rather than assuming transfer will occur without deliberate facilitation.
Discrete trial training (DTT) for social skills typically involves presenting a discriminative stimulus, prompting and reinforcing a specific response, and repeating trials across sessions. DTT emphasizes acquisition through repeated practice with differential reinforcement. TIP adds the dimensions of rationale-giving, explicit skill description, modeling, and specific performance feedback — making the instructional process more explicitly educational and less purely contingency-based. TIP is generally more appropriate for complex, multi-component social behaviors where the learner needs to understand the behavioral sequence and why it matters, while DTT may be more efficient for discrete social responses with clear response topographies.
The primary learner characteristics affecting TIP implementation are verbal repertoire, imitation skills, and the current level of social skill acquisition. TIP's rationale-giving and feedback components assume sufficient verbal comprehension to follow explanations and act on specific performance feedback. Learners with limited receptive or expressive language may require modified procedures — simplified rationales, AAC support, or greater reliance on modeling and physical guidance. Imitation skills affect how effectively learners can acquire the skill from the modeling component. Baseline skill level determines the appropriate starting point and the fidelity of the task analysis used to structure feedback.
Staff training for TIP should use behavioral skills training (BST) — the same framework that TIP itself embodies. Provide a rationale for TIP and its components, describe the procedure steps in behavioral terms, model correct implementation, provide structured rehearsal opportunities with simulated learners or role-play partners, and deliver specific performance feedback until staff meet an implementation fidelity criterion. It is particularly important to practice the feedback delivery component, as many practitioners default to vague, nonspecific feedback. Video review of staff implementation is a valuable supplement to in-person coaching.
TIP aligns with several BACB ethics requirements. Code 2.01 (Providing Effective Treatment) is supported by TIP's evidence base for social skills instruction, particularly for individuals with ASD. Code 2.14 (Selecting, Designing, and Implementing Behavior Change Interventions) is addressed through TIP's structured, manualized format that allows for treatment integrity measurement. The explicit rationale-giving component can be seen as supporting informed assent — learners who understand why a skill is being taught are better positioned to engage meaningfully with instruction. BCBAs should ensure that targets selected for TIP reflect the learner's genuine interests and are not simply the preferences of caregivers or funders.
Yes. TIP was developed for broad application in settings serving individuals with a range of behavioral and developmental profiles, including group homes, residential programs, and educational settings serving adolescents with behavioral disorders, developmental disabilities, and other challenges. The procedure is effective for any learner who has a social skill deficit — meaning the target behavior is not currently in their repertoire — and who has sufficient verbal behavior to benefit from the rationale and feedback components. Adaptations of TIP have been used successfully with adult populations, including in workplace social skills training and staff development contexts.
Mastery criteria for TIP should be defined before instruction begins and should specify both accuracy and generalization requirements. Accuracy criteria typically require correct performance of all component behaviors across a specified number of consecutive trials or sessions. Generalization criteria require demonstration of the skill with different instructors, in different settings, and with varied social partners. Maintenance probes should be scheduled after mastery to confirm that performance is sustained without continued instruction. Practitioners should resist the temptation to declare mastery based on accurate performance in training conditions alone — generalized, maintained performance in natural environments is the appropriate standard.
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ on-demand CEUs including ethics, supervision, and clinical topics like this one. Plus a new live CEU every Wednesday.
Ready to go deeper? This course covers this topic with structured learning objectives and CEU credit.
Teaching Interaction Procedure (TIP) Part 1: The Basics — Autism Partnership Foundation · 40 BACB General CEUs · $0
Take This Course →40 BACB General CEUs · $0 · Autism Partnership Foundation
Research-backed educational guide with practice recommendations
Side-by-side comparison with clinical decision framework
All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.