ABA
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Applied behavior analysis (ABA) has become widely known as an effective treatment for autism. It is a compelling approach because it has been studied extensively and has shown consistent, positive results in improving the lives of individuals with ASD. ABA can be used to teach skills from many domains, including language and communication, self-help, academic, play/leisure, and social skills. ABA strategies can be used to help individuals with autism in specific ways: to increase or teach new behaviors, to decrease challenging behaviors, and to generalize behaviors from one context to another. These strategies can be used with learners of any age. The treatment approach is very dynamic; that is, professionals overseeing ABA programs are constantly engaged with the learner to determine which intervention, strategy, prompt, and reward are best for the learner in the moment. ABA methods can be tailored both to the learner and to the skill being taught, thereby making ABA a practical approach for treating the core symptoms of ASD. Parent participation in understanding and using the treatment strategies is highly encouraged to help maximize the individual’s progress. ABA involves breaking down complex skills into simple parts, making them easier to learn. Goals are selected based on the results of ongoing assessments as well as the family's priorities, and objective data are collected and used to monitor progress. Teaching procedures are clearly written to give both teachers and family members consistent information about the learner's goals and the ways they can help him/her work toward greater independence. Learners are given the opportunity to practice skills many times, in various settings (e.g., home, school, work, community), and with different people (e.g., parents, teachers, peers). These opportunities allow the individual to learn skills that are functional and durable over time. ABA services are sometimes provided to teach a specific skill or address a particular challenging behavior, and other times ABA is used as the basis for a comprehensive treatment program. Although treatment often involves many hours, there is a strong emphasis on making learning fun and engaging. One of the primary components of ABA is that treatment continually emphasizes the individual's motivations and regularly rewards the learner for working toward his/her goals, a concept known as positive reinforcement. Individuals participating in ABA services are working hard to learn new skills, and effective use of individualized reinforcers contributes to making treatment enjoyable for the learner. Many different concepts and teaching procedures are utilized within a comprehensive ABA program. People sometimes mistakenly equate ABA with Discrete Trial Instruction, yet ABA has always been much broader than one teaching technique. Research and advancements in the field have resulted in the discovery of many effective teaching strategies. More than four decades of research and hundreds of scientific studies have proven that ABA is an effective treatment for individuals with ASD. Several large agencies and task forces have evaluated the numerous treatment options available to individuals with autism and consistently recommend ABA as the treatment of choice for treating ASD.
Some of the concepts and procedures within ABA include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Token Economy • Generalization • Maintenance • Functional Behavior Assessment & Intervention
• Reinforcement • Shaping • Prompting
• Activity Schedules • Verbal Behavior • Pivotal Response Training • Natural Environment Training • Incidental Teaching
• Task Analysis & Chaining • Discrete Trial Instruction
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