Chaining is a teaching method used in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) that breaks a complex skill into smaller, manageable steps and teaches them one at a time until the learner can complete the entire task independently. Instead of trying to teach something like handwashing or getting dressed all at once, a therapist identifies every individual action involved, then systematically teaches and connects those actions into a smooth sequence. It’s one of the most widely used techniques in ABA, particularly for teaching daily living skills to children with autism.
How Task Analysis Sets the Foundation
Before any chaining begins, a therapist creates what’s called a task analysis: a detailed breakdown of the target skill into its smallest meaningful steps, listed in order. The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders defines this as breaking complex activities into a series of simple steps that students can learn more easily. Each step in the sequence acts as a cue to begin the next one, which is what makes it a “chain” rather than a collection of unrelated actions.
Take handwashing. What feels like a single task actually involves at least eight distinct steps: turning the faucet on, adjusting the water temperature, wetting your hands, pressing the soap dispenser, collecting soap, scrubbing, rinsing, and drying. A therapist writes out each of these steps before deciding how to teach them. The specificity matters because the learner needs to master each link in the chain before the whole sequence works.
Forward Chaining: Starting at Step One
Forward chaining teaches the first step of the task first. The therapist helps the learner practice that single step until they can do it independently, then adds the second step, then the third, building the chain from beginning to end. After each successfully completed step, the learner receives reinforcement, usually a small reward or praise.
Consider teaching a child to make a sandwich. In forward chaining, the therapist might start with “get a plate.” Once the child can do that on their own, the instruction expands to “get a plate, then get bread.” After that’s mastered, the next step is added: “get a plate, get bread, put meat on the bread.” The child always starts at the beginning and performs every mastered step before encountering the new one. For all the steps the child hasn’t learned yet, the therapist physically assists or completes them so the task still gets finished each time.
This approach works well for learners who can handle multiple linked steps and benefit from practicing the sequence in its natural order. Some therapists prefer it for students with stronger language skills, since verbal prompts can guide them through each new addition.
Backward Chaining: Starting at the Last Step
Backward chaining flips the order. The therapist physically prompts the learner through every step except the last one, then focuses teaching on that final step. Once the learner masters it independently, the therapist backs up to teach the second-to-last step, then the third-to-last, and so on until the learner completes the entire task from start to finish.
The key advantage here is that the learner experiences success and gets reinforced at the natural endpoint of the task every single time. For handwashing, that means the child’s first independent action is drying their hands, the satisfying conclusion. This built-in sense of completion can be especially motivating. Backward chaining also works well for children with limited language skills, because the therapist performs the earlier steps hand over hand while naming each one. This gives the child exposure to the vocabulary for steps they’ll learn later, while prompting is gradually removed as teaching moves backward through the sequence.
How Prompting and Fading Work Within a Chain
At each new step in the chain, the therapist uses a prompting hierarchy to help the learner succeed. This typically starts with the least intrusive prompt and escalates only as needed. For example, if a child learning to wash hands doesn’t turn on the faucet independently, the therapist might first point to it. If that doesn’t work after a few moments, they place the child’s hand on the faucet and wait. If the child still doesn’t respond, the therapist uses full hand-over-hand guidance to complete the action.
The critical piece is fading. As the learner begins performing a step more reliably, prompts are gradually reduced and then removed entirely. The goal is always full independence on each step before moving to the next one in the chain. This is what distinguishes chaining from simply walking someone through a task repeatedly. Only one step at a time goes through this teach-to-independence process, which keeps the learning demand manageable.
Does Forward or Backward Chaining Work Better?
Neither, consistently. Research comparing the two methods has not produced a clear winner. An LSU study that ran 16 direct comparisons across four participants found that forward chaining led to faster mastery in 8 comparisons, backward chaining was faster in 6, and 2 showed no difference. The average gap between the two was small, roughly six extra practice trials. Only one participant showed a consistent preference for one method across all tasks.
The broader research literature reaches the same conclusion: sensitivity to each method appears to be individual, varying by learner and by task. Therapists can generally choose either approach without worrying that one is inherently more effective. What does matter, according to multiple studies, is that chaining of any type tends to outperform “whole task” teaching, where a learner is expected to practice every step at once from the start.
Common Skills Taught With Chaining
Chaining is most commonly used for multi-step daily living skills, the kinds of routines that neurotypical children often pick up through observation but that children with autism may need explicitly taught. Common examples include brushing teeth, getting dressed, making a bed, and basic meal preparation like making a sandwich or baking cookies. It also extends to academic and play skills like completing a puzzle, writing a letter, or following a classroom routine.
The technique isn’t limited to young children. Chaining is used across age groups for vocational skills, household tasks, and any behavior that follows a predictable sequence of steps. The complexity of the task analysis simply adjusts to match the learner’s level.
Behavior Chain Interruption Strategy
Once a learner has mastered a chain, therapists sometimes use it as a tool to teach communication. A behavior chain interruption strategy involves deliberately disrupting a well-practiced routine at a specific step so the learner has to request what they need to continue. For instance, if a child has mastered all the steps of making a sandwich but the bread is intentionally placed out of reach, the child must ask for it before the chain can proceed. This technique is frequently used in teaching requesting skills, turning a familiar routine into a natural opportunity for communication practice.