How ABA May Support Sharing a Personal Interest

Let the person define the purpose

Ask whether the person wants to inform, connect, teach, trade, collaborate, perform, or simply enjoy the topic. The ASAN self-determination page supports control and effective communication. An interest remains valuable when few other people share it.

Offer several ways to share

Speech, AAC, sign, writing, images, models, demonstrations, links, playlists, collections, and parallel activity can all carry meaning. The ASHA AAC portal supports continuous access to communication tools. Keep setup and motor access separate from topic knowledge.

Check audience and timing directly

Ask whether the partner wants a short update, longer explanation, demonstration, or later conversation. Partners can respond with interest, a question, a boundary, or another time. The CASP public summary supports individualized goals; it does not justify suppressing an interest to normalize appearance.

Protect privacy, ownership, and enjoyment

Decide whether photos, creations, collections, locations, purchases, or online accounts may be shown. Preserve free time when the interest is enjoyed without teaching or data collection. If sharing becomes draining, pressured, mocked, or adult-directed, pause and review the goal with the person.

A practical example

Avery chooses three ways to share an astronomy interest across eight opportunities: a photo, a short fact, or a five-minute model demonstration. Every opportunity offers all three plus a pass. Avery shares six times and passes twice. Option access is 8 of 8; chosen sharing is 6 of 8 and remains descriptive rather than a mastery target.

Questions families can use

Ask what the person enjoys, why they want to share, which format fits, who the audience is, what timing is welcome, what stays private, how partners set boundaries, and how free enjoyment remains protected. ABA sharing interests should add connection or expression without editing the person into a standard social style.