When Miranda Boggan ’23 first started at UTSA in 2021, she wasn’t sure what field she wanted to pursue, let alone what sort of career she would end up in after graduation.
Today, you can find Boggan making a difference in the lives of children and families that go through the Little Spurs Autism Center.
Boggan, a lead registered behavior technician (RBT), is helping children and teenagers with autism gain and build upon a variety of important skills, such as communication and socialization, allowing them to be successful in school and life.
“In the short time I have been an RBT, I have had several kids graduate ABA (applied behavior analysis) therapy to go to school full-time,” Boggan says. “I have gotten to hear so many inspirational stories from parents of different ‘firsts’ they have had with their kids, such as being able to go sit and eat at a restaurant. My favorite impact is seeing kids who are now utilizing coping strategies and communication instead of attempting self-injurious behaviors. It makes every day so worth it as I know it is truly making a difference.”
ABA is research-based behavior therapy for people with autism or other developmental disorders. The main goal of ABA is to increase positive behaviors and decrease harmful behaviors through positive reinforcement. It’s believed ABA can improve socialization, communication and expressive language.
Boggan was first introduced to the behavior analysis field on accident.
“I found out about it from taking a class at UTSA called, “Intro to Behavior Analysis,” which I thought was going to be about behavioral profiling like they do in the FBI,” she says. “I started the class and realized it was a different type of behavior analysis that is used for people with special needs, especially autism.”
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