All About the Effectiveness of ABA Therapy
ABA therapy is a method used to teach new skills or reinforce existing behaviors by utilizing positive reinforcement in typically developing learning environments.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) has been widely studied over the last few decades related to children diagnosed with ASD, most notably for its ability to improve language acquisition and social functioning skills among individuals diagnosed with this disorder.
The combination of group and individualized services provided by an ABA therapist helps individuals diagnosed with ASD reach educational, communicative, and vocational goals within their environment. ABA Therapy is effective with all age groups from preschool through young adulthood
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Why is ABA an Effective Treatment for Autism?
What is the effectiveness of ABA Therapy? ABA is a method of teaching that can be used to teach new skills or reinforce existing behaviors by utilizing positive reinforcement.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), as it pertains to the treatment of autism spectrum disorders, is based on three principles:
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All behavior has a function and is motivated by one's environment
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The person, as well as their environment, can be changed as an outcome of behavior.
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Operant conditioning methods are most effective for learning new behaviors or changing existing ones among individuals diagnosed with ASD.
These techniques have been proven time and again to have a significant effect on learning new functional skills such as academic, social/interactive, self-help, and daily living skills.
Comparing ABA to Other Interventions
These types of behavioral therapies include Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Discrete Trial Training (DTT), and Natural Environment Training (NET). All of these methods involve teaching language, social, and academic skills with positive reinforcements in a child's natural setting:
DTT laces the focus on one item at a time instead of trying to teach multiple skills simultaneously. This program is most effective when conducted by a therapist rather than at home.
NET focuses on training children within their environment without distractions such as peers or toys that could interfere with learning new skills. This type of therapy requires the child to follow a script and works best with younger children.
ABA is often the most effective treatment modality because it's individualized, requires minimal training on the part of therapists and teachers, and uses various learning techniques such as:
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Modeling positive behaviors.
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Reinforcement schedules.
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Errorless learning (where incorrect behavior does not result in negative consequences).
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Fading rewards over time.
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Prompting during initial stages of skill acquisition until independent from prompts.
Efficacy
For a behavioral intervention to be deemed "effective" within research studies, it must meet these standards:
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At least 50% of subjects who receive the treatment show improvement relative to those receiving a placebo or no treatment at all.
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The treatment must have a positive impact on the quality of life for individuals diagnosed with ASD.
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Several studies indicate ABA therapy is effective in improving behavior, language, cognition, and social skills.
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A Behavioral Intervention Plan, including Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), is the most effective way to help children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder achieve their potential developmentally. The approach teaches varied learning methods through individual and group interventions while also teaching essential daily living skills at home.
Researchers continue to improve these areas through various methodologies about how the treatments are performed, proving that ABA will play an essential role in treating individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Check out our article on Applied Behavior Analysis to see if our services are the right fit for your child.