If you're a mental health professional working with clients who receive ABA services, you've probably encountered ABA SOAP notes and wondered how they fit into your documentation workflow.

These specialized progress notes combine traditional SOAP formatting with behavioral data collection, creating a comprehensive record that supports both therapeutic goals and behavioral interventions.

What Are ABA SOAP Notes?

ABA SOAP notes follow the familiar Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan structure that mental health professionals know well, but they incorporate specific behavioral measurements and data collection methods.

According to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, these notes must include measurable behavioral data, functional analysis components, and clear intervention strategies.

The main differences between regular therapy notes and ABA SOAP notes are the emphasis on quantifiable data and the focus on behavior change rather than emotional insight.

In addition, because ABA is most often used to treat those on the autism spectrum or living with developmental disabilities, or for children and adolescents struggling with behavioral challenges, caregivers' and team members’ reports will also be included in the notes.

While your traditional progress notes might describe a client's mood or engagement level, ABA SOAP notes include specific numbers: how many times a behavior occurred, the percentage of successful responses, or the duration of appropriate behaviors.

Many insurance companies now require this type of detailed documentation for clients receiving both mental health services and ABA therapy, making it essential knowledge for practicing therapists.

Subjective Section: What Clients and Families Report

In ABA SOAP notes, the subjective section captures not just how clients feel, but also behavioral observations from parents, caregivers, teachers, and care team members. This section often includes:

Client Self-Reports (if the client is able)

• How they felt about using new coping strategies

• Their perspective on behavioral changes or challenges

• Emotional responses to behavioral interventions

• Self-assessment of skill development

Caregiver or Team Observations

• Reports of behavior changes at home or school

• Success with implementing strategies in natural settings

• Challenges or concerns about behavioral programming

• Observations of skill generalization across environments

Example: "Mom reports that Jamie used his communication device at home 12 times this week without being prompted, which she says is 'amazing progress.' Jamie told me he's proud of himself for asking for help when frustrated instead of hitting. His teacher mentioned that he's been more cooperative during transitions at school."

Objective Section: The Numbers and Observations

This is where ABA SOAP notes really differ from traditional therapy documentation. The objective section includes concrete, measurable data collected during the session, and may even include a data table.

Types of Data to Include:

• Frequency counts: How many times specific behaviors occurred

• Duration measurements: How long behaviors or activities lasted

• Percentage data: Success rates for skill acquisition trials

• Latency measures: Time between instruction and response

• ABC data: Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence observations

Example: "During the 45-minute session: Appropriate greetings - 9/10 opportunities (90%); Requesting help when frustrated - 6/8 opportunities (75%); Time engaged in preferred activities - 38 minutes (84%); Self-regulation strategies used independently - 4 instances; Brief episodes of repetitive behavior - 2 occurrences lasting 30 seconds each."

Assessment Section: Making Sense of the Data

The assessment section synthesizes all the information to evaluate progress and identify next steps. This is where your clinical skills really shine, as you interpret behavioral data within the context of mental health goals and therapeutic relationship.

Key Elements:

• Analysis of behavioral patterns and trends

• Progress toward individualized goals

• Identification of skill strengths and areas needing support

• Environmental factors affecting behavior

• Recommendations for intervention adjustments

Example: "Data shows significant improvement in communication skills with a 40% increase in spontaneous requests compared to last month. Jamie is successfully generalizing self-regulation strategies to school settings. Continued challenges with peer interactions suggest need for additional social skills focus. The combination of cognitive-behavioral strategies with behavioral interventions is proving effective for addressing anxiety-related behaviors."

Plan Section: Coordinated Next Steps

The plan section outlines specific, measurable goals and coordinates care with other team members. Unlike traditional therapy plans, ABA SOAP note plans include behavioral targets with clear criteria for success.

Plan Components:

• Specific behavioral objectives with measurable criteria

• Integration of therapeutic and behavioral strategies

• Coordination with ABA team and other providers

• Family/caregiver involvement and training

• Timeline for reassessment and plan updates

Example: "Continue weekly sessions with focus on peer interaction skills. Coordinate with BCBA to align social communication targets across home and school. Implement structured peer interaction opportunities next session. Schedule parent training for visual support implementation at home. Reassess progress with formal data collection in 2 weeks."

ABA SOAP Notes Examples and Templates

Template 1: Client with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Subjective: "Sarah's mom reports she's been using her communication app more at home - about 15 times yesterday for different requests. Sarah seemed excited to show me her new pictures on the device and made good eye contact when we were looking at them together. Mom mentioned that bedtime has been going smoother since they started using the visual schedule we created."

Objective: "50-minute session. Communication attempts: 18 functional requests using AAC device, 5 spontaneous comments about preferred activities. Social engagement: Eye contact maintained 70% of session duration, responded to name 9/10 times, engaged in back-and-forth conversation for average of 3 exchanges. Task completion: Completed 4/5 structured activities with minimal prompting. Self-regulation: Used calming strategies twice when presented with non-preferred tasks"

Assessment: "Sarah continues making excellent progress with functional communication, showing 50% increase in AAC device use from baseline. Her social engagement has improved significantly, and she's beginning to initiate interactions rather than just respond. The visual scheduling system appears highly effective for reducing anxiety around transitions. Ready to increase communication complexity and add peer interaction opportunities."

Plan: "Maintain weekly sessions with increased focus on peer social skills. Coordinate with school SLP to ensure consistent AAC programming across settings. Begin working on more complex sentence structures using device. Update visual schedules to include new activities and settings. Schedule IEP team meeting to review progress and adjust goals."

Template 2: Behavioral Intervention Focus

Subjective: "Marcus told me he used his 'stop and think' strategy twice at school this week when he got frustrated during math. His teacher sent a note saying he asked for a break instead of throwing materials, which she was 'thrilled' about. Dad reports that Marcus has been more helpful with chores at home and seems less anxious overall."

Objective: "45-minute session. Problem-solving scenarios: 8/10 correct responses identifying appropriate solutions. Coping strategy implementation: Used deep breathing 100% of opportunities when presented with frustrating tasks (4/4 trials). Emotional identification: Correctly labeled emotions in self and others 12/15 opportunities (80%). Task persistence: Remained engaged with challenging activity for 15 minutes before requesting break appropriately."

Assessment: "Marcus demonstrates excellent progress in emotional regulation with significant decrease in aggressive behaviors (75% reduction from baseline). His ability to identify triggers and implement coping strategies is generalizing well to school environment. Self-advocacy skills are emerging as he learns to request breaks appropriately. Continue building on these strengths while addressing remaining challenges with peer conflicts."

Plan: "Continue current intervention approach with added focus on peer relationship skills. Schedule classroom observation to gather data on peer interactions. Implement role-playing activities for common social conflicts next session. Coordinate with school counselor for consistent strategy implementation. Update behavior plan to include specific peer interaction goals."

Template 3: Early Intervention (Ages 3-5)

Subjective: "Emma's grandmother reports that she's been asking for help more often at home instead of having tantrums. 'Please help' has become her new favorite phrase, Grandma says. Emma appeared happy to see me today and immediately went to the toy bin, which is new - usually she needs encouragement to engage. Daycare teacher mentioned she played next to other children for 10 minutes yesterday during free play."

Objective: "30-minute session (shortened due to attention span). Requesting behavior: 12 instances of appropriate help-seeking using words or gestures. Parallel play: 8 minutes engaged with toys while another child played nearby. Following directions: 6/8 simple one-step instructions followed independently. Transitions: Required visual countdown for 2/3 activity changes, self-initiated cleanup once. Sensory seeking: 3 brief episodes of jumping/spinning, all self-regulated within 1 minute."

Assessment: "Emma shows significant improvement in communication and social awareness. Her requesting behavior has increased 300% from baseline, and she's beginning to engage in parallel play consistently. Sensory-seeking behaviors are decreasing in intensity and duration. The visual supports are highly effective for transitions. Ready to introduce more complex social interaction opportunities and expand communication beyond requesting."

Plan: "Continue twice-weekly sessions with increased focus on peer interaction skills. Introduce turn-taking activities next session. Coordinate with daycare to implement visual schedules during transitions. Provide parent training on expanding communication at home. Begin working on sharing behaviors during preferred activities."

Template 4: Adolescent with Anxiety and Social Challenges

Subjective: "Taylor reports feeling 'way less nervous' about talking to people at school this week. She said she used the breathing technique we practiced when she had to give a presentation and 'it actually worked.' Mom notes that Taylor has been initiating conversations at home and even asked to have a friend over, which hasn't happened in months."

Objective: "50-minute session. Anxiety management: Used coping strategies 5/5 times when discussing triggering topics, self-initiated without prompts. Social skills practice: Successfully navigated 8/10 role-play scenarios involving peer interactions. Eye contact: Maintained appropriate eye contact 85% of session during conversation. Problem-solving: Generated 3+ solutions for each of 4 social scenarios presented. Mood rating: Self-reported 7/10 (up from baseline of 4/10)."

Assessment: "Taylor demonstrates excellent progress in anxiety management and social confidence. Her willingness to engage in social scenarios has improved dramatically, and she's beginning to generalize skills to school settings. The cognitive-behavioral techniques combined with behavioral practice are proving highly effective. Self-advocacy skills are emerging as she becomes more comfortable expressing her needs."

Plan: "Continue weekly sessions with focus on maintaining gains and expanding social network. Coordinate with school counselor to support friendship development. Begin working on conflict resolution skills next session. Schedule parent consultation to discuss supporting social activities at home. Plan gradual exposure to larger group activities."

Template 5: Adult with Developmental Disabilities

Subjective: "James's job coach reports he's been more independent with his work tasks this week and asked for help appropriately when confused about new procedures. James told me he's proud of himself for learning the new filing system and said his supervisor complimented his organization. His roommate mentions that James has been more talkative at home and initiated conversations about his day."

Objective: "45-minute session. Task completion: Completed 4/4 work simulation activities with 90% accuracy. Problem-solving: Identified when to ask for help in 7/8 scenarios presented. Social communication: Initiated 6 topics of conversation, maintained topic for average of 4 exchanges each. Self-advocacy: Clearly expressed needs and preferences 100% of opportunities (5/5 instances). Executive functioning: Completed written checklist for multi-step task completion."

Assessment: "James continues to make steady progress toward greater independence in work and social settings. His problem-solving skills have improved significantly, and he's becoming more confident in workplace interactions. The structured approach to self-advocacy is yielding positive results. Ready to increase complexity of work tasks and expand social communication goals."

Plan: "Continue weekly sessions with focus on advanced workplace skills. Coordinate with job coach to introduce new task responsibilities gradually. Begin working on conflict resolution and assertiveness skills next session. Schedule workplace observation to gather additional data on generalization. Update support plan to reflect increased independence goals."

Template 6: Crisis/Safety Focused Session

Subjective: "David's mother reports he had two episodes of aggressive behavior at home this week, both triggered by changes in routine. She used the de-escalation strategies we practiced and was able to help him calm down within 5 minutes each time. David acknowledged feeling 'really mad' when his plans changed but said he's trying to use his coping strategies. Teacher reports no incidents at school this week."

Objective: "40-minute session. Safety assessment: No current ideation or plans for self-harm or harm to others. Trigger identification: Correctly identified 6/7 personal trigger scenarios. Coping strategy rehearsal: Demonstrated 4 different calming techniques, rated effectiveness 8/10. Problem-solving: Generated appropriate solutions for 5/6 challenging scenarios. Emotional regulation: Remained calm throughout session even when discussing triggering topics."

Assessment: "David shows good insight into his triggers and demonstrates knowledge of appropriate coping strategies. The reduction in aggressive episodes from daily to twice weekly represents significant progress. Family implementation of consistent responses is contributing to positive outcomes. Continue focus on proactive coping and environmental modifications to prevent escalation."

Plan: "Increase session frequency to twice weekly temporarily given recent incidents. Coordinate with psychiatrist regarding medication review. Implement daily check-ins with school counselor for additional support. Schedule family meeting to review crisis prevention strategies. Update safety plan with all team members and review weekly."

Template 7: Group Therapy Session

Subjective: "Group members reported inconsistent completion (or engagement with) homework assignments. Alex said he used social scripts twice at work and felt 'pretty good' about the interactions. Maya mentioned struggling with initiating conversations but was proud of maintaining one discussion for 5 minutes. Both clients expressed interest in continuing to work on social goals together."

Objective: "60-minute group session with 2 participants. Social interactions: Alex initiated 4 conversations with Maya, Maya responded appropriately 100% of opportunities. Turn-taking: Both participants followed group rules with minimal prompts. Peer feedback: Each member provided 3 constructive comments to partner. Goal practice: Completed 6 role-play scenarios collaboratively. Group cohesion: Both members expressed desire to continue working together."

Assessment: "Both group members are benefiting from peer modeling and support. Alex's confidence is increasing with repeated practice, while Maya is becoming more responsive to social overtures. The collaborative approach is enhancing motivation and providing natural reinforcement for social skills. Ready to introduce more complex group dynamics and community-based practice opportunities."

Plan: "Continue weekly group sessions with added community outing component. Coordinate with families to support generalization of group skills to home settings. Begin working on conflict resolution within group dynamic next session. Plan structured peer interaction opportunities outside of therapy setting."

Bottom Line

ABA SOAP notes bridge the gap between behavioral data collection and therapeutic documentation. By combining measurable behavioral data with qualitative insights, they provide a comprehensive view of client progress that supports both clinical decision-making and insurance requirements.

For mental health professionals collaborating with ABA providers, mastering this documentation style ensures more accurate treatment tracking, improved interdisciplinary communication, and better outcomes for clients and families. Whether you’re working with children, adolescents, or adults, incorporating ABA SOAP note practices can elevate the clarity, consistency, and effectiveness of your progress notes.