ABA THERAPY
"Applied" means practice, rather than research or philosophy. "Behavior analysis" may be read as "learning theory," that is, understanding what leads to (or doesn't lead to) new skills. (This is a simplification: ABA is just as much about maintaining and using skills as about learning.) It may seem odd to use the word "behavior" when talking about learning to talk, play, and live as a complex social animal, but to a behaviorist all these can be taught, so long as there are intact brain functions to learn and practice the skills. That is the essence of the recovery hypothesis--for many children, the excesses and deficits of autism result largely from a learning 'blockage,' which can be overcome by intensive teaching.
Typically developing children learn without our intervention--the world around them provides the right conditions to learn language, play, and social skills. Children with autism learn much, much less easily from the environment. They have the potential to learn learn, but it takes a very structured environment, one where conditions are optimized for acquiring the same skills that typical children learn "naturally." ABA is all about how to set up the environment to enable our kids to learn.
ABA techniques have been proven in many studies as the method of choice on treating deficits in the behaviours of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at any level. ABA approaches such as discrete trial training (DTT), Pivotal Response Training (PRT), Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Self-Management, and a range of social skills training techniques are all critical in teaching children with autism. Ultimately, the goal is to find a way of motivating the child and using a number of different strategies and positive reinforcement techniques to ensure that the sessions are enjoyable and productive.
In all ABA programs, the intent is to increase skills in language, play and socialization, while decreasing behaviours that interfere with learning. The results can be profound. Many children with autism who have ritualistic or self-injurious behaviours reduce or eliminate these behaviours.
ABA helps to establish better to normal eye contact and encourages learning to stay on task. Finally the children acquire the ability and the desire to learn and to do well. Even if the child does not achieve a “best outcome” result of normal functioning levels in all areas, nearly all autistic children benefit from intensive ABA programs.
Typically developing children learn without our intervention--the world around them provides the right conditions to learn language, play, and social skills. Children with autism learn much, much less easily from the environment. They have the potential to learn learn, but it takes a very structured environment, one where conditions are optimized for acquiring the same skills that typical children learn "naturally." ABA is all about how to set up the environment to enable our kids to learn.
ABA techniques have been proven in many studies as the method of choice on treating deficits in the behaviours of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at any level. ABA approaches such as discrete trial training (DTT), Pivotal Response Training (PRT), Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Self-Management, and a range of social skills training techniques are all critical in teaching children with autism. Ultimately, the goal is to find a way of motivating the child and using a number of different strategies and positive reinforcement techniques to ensure that the sessions are enjoyable and productive.
In all ABA programs, the intent is to increase skills in language, play and socialization, while decreasing behaviours that interfere with learning. The results can be profound. Many children with autism who have ritualistic or self-injurious behaviours reduce or eliminate these behaviours.
ABA helps to establish better to normal eye contact and encourages learning to stay on task. Finally the children acquire the ability and the desire to learn and to do well. Even if the child does not achieve a “best outcome” result of normal functioning levels in all areas, nearly all autistic children benefit from intensive ABA programs.