applied behavior analysis (aba)

APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS (ABA)

What is ABA?

Applied Behavior Analysis is the process of systematically applying interventions based upon the principles of learning theory to improve socially significant behaviors to a meaningful degree, and to demonstrate that the interventions employed are responsible for the improvement in behavior.

ABA is a discipline that employs objective data to drive decision-making about an individual’s program. That is, data is collected on responses made by the individual to determine if progress is being made or not; if there is no progress under a particular intervention, we need to re-evaluate the program and change it so that the child begins to make progress.

What is ABA?

ABA Techniques and Philosophy

The instructor uses a variety of behavior analytic procedures, some of which are directed by the instructor and others initiated by the learner.

Parents and/or other family members and caregivers receive training so they can support learning and skill practice throughout the day.

The learner’s day is structured to provide many opportunities – both planned and naturally occurring - to acquire and practice skills in both structured and unstructured situations.

The learner receives an abundance of positive reinforcement for demonstrating useful skills and socially appropriate behaviors. The emphasis is on positive social interactions and enjoyable learning.

The learner receives no reinforcement for behaviors that pose harm or prevent learning.

ABA Techniques and Philosophy

What can ABA be used for?

The short answer is: almost anything. If it is a behavior, and it can be observed, ABA principles exist that can be used to either increase or decrease that behavior. As a discipline, ABA providers are charged with the improvement of socially significant behaviors. Socially significant behaviors include communication, social skills, academics, reading and adaptive living skills such as gross and fine motor skills, toileting, dressing, eating, personal self-care, domestic skills, and work skills.

What is the role of parents in ABA program?

Parents are indispensable in the child’s program. They play a necessary and critical role. Studies show that children whose parents are actively engaged in the process make measurable gains. First, no one knows the child better than the parent; the parent’s provide critical and insightful information that will help guide the ABA program. Second, parents are able to continue to prompt and reinforce the child through his and her various daily activities - an essential component to generalizing skills. Finally, parents are in a position to be able to record and track ABC data in the home and community setting. This information is vital in hypothesizing the function (the “why”) of specific behaviors as well as for determining what conditions encourage behaviors to occur.

Components of an effective ABA program

Children need, and education law supports, the use of effective interventions for children with autism. Based on the National Autism Center’s National Standards Report, the following components meet the criteria of research-based, effective interventions for children with autism:

Antecedent manipulation - modification of situational events that precede the target behavior. These alterations are designed to increase the likelihood of success of the targeted behavior. Examples include: prompt/fading procedures, behavioral momentum, contrived motivational operations, inter-trial intervals, incorporation special interests, etc.


Behavioral treatment -programs designed to decrease problem behaviors and to increase functional alternative behaviors. Examples include: functional communication training, chaining, discrete trial training, mand training, generalization training, reinforcement, shaping, etc.


Comprehensive intervention - low student to teacher ratio (1:1, or low as appropriate) in a variety of settings, including home school and community. Effective programs are based on a treatment manual, provide intensive treatment (25hrs/wk+), and include data-driven decision-making.

COMPONENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE ABA PROGRAM

Joint attention intervention - programs designed to teach a child to respond to the social bids of another, or to initiate joint attention interactions. Examples include: pointing to objects, showing items, activities to another, and following eye gaze.


Modeling - adults or peers provide a demonstration of the target behavior; the student is expected to imitate. Thus, imitation skills are a necessary prerequisite to this type intervention. Modeling is often combined with prompting and reinforcement strategies which can assist the student to acquire imitation skills.


Naturalistic teaching strategies - use of child-initiated interactions to teach functional skills in the natural environment. This intervention requires providing a stimulating environment, modeling play, providing choices, encouraging conversation and rewarding reasonable attempts.


Peer training - involves training peers without disabilities strategies for interacting (play and social) with children with autism. Some commonly known peer-training programs include: circle of friends, buddy skills, peer networks, etc.


Pivotal response training - program designed to target specific, “pivotal,” behaviors that lead to improvement across a broad range of behaviors. These pivotal behaviors include: motivation to engage in social communication, self-initiation, self-management, responsiveness to multiple cues, etc.


Schedules - teaching a student to follow a task list (picture- or word-based) through a series of activities or steps in order to complete a specific activity. Schedules are accompanied by other behavioral interventions, including reinforcement.


Self-management - this treatment intervention teaches a student to regulate his or her behavior by recording the occurrence or non-occurrence of the target behavior, and secure reinforcement for doing so.


Story-based interventions - involves a written description of the situations under which specific behaviors are expected to occur. The stories seek to teach the: who, what, when, where and why of social interactions to improve perspective taking. The most well-known of these interventions is Carol Gray’s “Social Stories.”


Planning and On going Assessment

A qualified and trained behavior analyst designs and directly oversees the intervention.

The analyst’s development of treatment goals stems from a detailed assessment of each learner's skills and preferences and may also include family goals.

Treatment goals and instruction are developmentally appropriate and target a broad range of skill areas such as communication, sociability, self-care, play and leisure, motor development and academic skills.

Goals emphasize skills that will enable learners to become independent and successful in both the short and long terms.

The instruction plan breaks down desired skills into manageable steps to be taught from the simplest (e.g. imitating single sounds) to the more complex (e.g. carrying on a conversation).


The intervention involves on going objective measurement of the learner’s progress.

The behavior analyst frequently reviews information on the learner’s progress and uses this to adjust procedures and goals as needed.

The analyst meets regularly with family members and program staff to plan ahead, review progress and make adjustments as needed.


(1) Baer, Wolf & Risley, 1968; Sulzer-Azaroff & Mayer, 1991(2) National Research Council (2001) Educating Children with Autism. Committee on Educational Interventions for Children with Autism. Catherine Lord and James P. McGee, eds. Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.(3) Lovaas, O.I. (1987) "Behavioral treatment and normal educational and intellectual functioning in young autistic children," Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55, 3-9(4) Johnson, C.R., et al. 2007. "Development of a Parent Training Program for Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders." Behavioral Interventions 22(3):201-221 (5) Filipek, P.A., MD et al (2000), “Practice Parameter: Screening and Diagnosis of Autism.” Report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the Child Neurology Society.(6) http://www.thelovaascenter.org/autism-aba-study.php

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