Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is an approach to understanding and changing behavior. It’s not a specific therapy itself, but a range of different strategies and techniques that can be used to teach autistic people new skills and reduce their difficult behavior. This approach and techniques linked to it can aid autistic children to manage their own behavior in such a way that children develop their communication skills, playing skills and self-care skills. Other than this, it also helps to control down extreme behaviors in children which might include screaming, aggression and inattention.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is based on learning theory, which comes from the field of behavioral psychology. The first study that looked at the use of ABA techniques with young autistic children was published by Dr Ivar Lovaas at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1987. There was a long-term follow-up study by Dr John McEachin at UCLA, which was published in 1993.

Key ideas of ABA for autistic children:

• Human behavior is effected or influenced by events or stimuli in the surrounding
• behavior that is  followed by some positive consequences is more likely to happen again
• ABA uses these ideas to help autistic children learn new and appropriate behavior. It does this by giving children positive consequences for appropriate behavior and not for problematic behavior.

What happens in ABA programs?

Following are the general methodologies employed with autistic children to make things easy and smooth for them.

1. assessing a child’s current skills and comprehending the difficulties he faces
2. setting realistic goals and objectives – for example, learning how to say ‘hello” to someone
3. designing and implementing a program that teaches the particular ‘target’ skill
4. Measuring the ‘target’ skill to see whether the program is working
5. evaluating the program keenly and making alterations as required

Behaviors and skill areas that can be addressed and improved through ABA:

• Speech and Functional Communication
• Pre-academic and Academic Skills
• Daily Living Skills
• Following Directions
• Toileting Skills
• Social Skills
• Play Skills
• Eating
• Safety Skills
• Respecting Limits
• Sleeping
• Self-Regulation
• Executive Functioning
• Tantrums
• Aggressive Behaviors
• Attention Skills

How does ABA therapy work?

• 

Applied Behavior Analysis is regarded as a flexible treatment as it involves number of different techniques employed for understanding and changing behavior.

• ABA can be adapted to meet the requirements of every unique individual
• Services can be provided in different locations like school, home or any other community center
• Teaching the skills that are useful in day to day life
• Group instructions or activities or individual teaching sessions

ABA therapy manipulates environmental variables to encourage learning. Sometimes people on the autism spectrum are sensitive to crowds, sounds, or textures. They might need more motivation than a neurotypical child to do things like communicating. They might need different types of encouragement or different rates of attention than neurotypial peers. ABA achieves this by meeting learners where they are and adapting instruction to meet the child’s need instead of expecting a child to adapt to how a skill is being taught.

Behavior analysis helps us to understand..

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a therapy based on the science of learning and behavior.

• How behavior works
• How behavior is affected by the environment
• How learning takes place

ABA therapy applies our understanding of how behavior works to real situations. The goal is to increase behaviors that are helpful and decrease behaviors that are harmful or affect learning.

Services provided in ABA to autistic children:

Following are some of the most common services employed to treat autism in children and adults.

• Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI)
• Discrete Trial Training
• Pivotal Response Training
• Early Start Denver Model (ESDM)
• Verbal Behavior Intervention
• Music Therapy
• Yoga Therapy  

Does ABA works only for Autistic children?

ABA therapy is not specific to autism but its principles apply to everyone equally, It is one of the most common and popular therapies available for helping individuals suffering from autism spectrum disorder. Research has proven that ABA is highly effective for people suffering from ASD. Individuals suffering from autism need special attention and focused periods of interaction with the mentors. ABA provides this and instead of a cookie-cutter approach to therapy, customizes treatment to optimize success for clients. Anyone can learn through ABA.

Conclusion:

ABA therapy is research-driven and highly effective. It involves a data component so families and clinicians can see a child’s rate of skill acquisition.  Data also allows clinicians to quickly ascertain if a treatment is effective or not and therefore make necessary changes to maximize learning time. Board Certified Behavioral Analysts undergo rigorous training and are able to provide high-quality services to target specific skills a learner needs to become successful. Children mostly learn at a higher rate when they are receiving ABA services than without ABA services.