ABA Therapy is a research-based therapy that is considered the gold-standard of care for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. While its benefits are not limited to just those with an autism diagnosis, extensive evidenced-based practices have been developed based upon studies of children and adults with ASD. ABA therapy’s most basic principle involves increasing and decreasing behaviors by changing the contingencies associated with those behaviors. The goal of ABA therapy is not always to stop the behavior as it is occurring, but to make the behavior more or less likely to occur in the future. Using the principles of ABA Therapy we can teach new skills, increase independence, and help the person learn to meet their needs without unsafe or challenging behaviors.
ABA helps us understand how behavior works, how behavior is affected by the environment and how learning takes place. ABA has its origins in the early 1900’s with the work of B.F. Skinner, and was about studying how individuals and animals respond under certain conditions, this is called Operant Conditioning. It was not until Ivar Lovaas in 1987 that “ABA Therapy” began to take shape with children with ASD.
ABA therapy involves determining the “function” of behaviors. There is always a reason “why” someone engages in a behavior. Most often is to get something, or to get rid of something in their environment. Children might seek access to social attention, toys, food, activities, and many other things, but may also seek to remove tasks, activities, peers, or other things that they find aversive at the time the behavior occurs. There are 4 main categories of the functions of behavior. Most people think of “positive” as “good” and “negative” as “bad” but in ABA the terms have a different meaning. Positive functions involve adding something to the environment (attention, toys, etc.). Negative is removing something from the environment (attention, tasks, etc.). After determining if a contingency is being introduced or removed, we want to determine if it is a “reinforcement” or a “punishment.” Reinforcers mean that whatever changed in the environment after the behavior makes the behavior more likely to occur again in the future, while punishment makes the behavior less likely to occur again in the future.
The four terms you will frequently hear are:
Positive Reinforcement – something is introduced to the environment, following a behavior, which makes the behavior more likely to occur in the future
Negative Reinforcement – something is removed from the environment, following a behavior, which makes the behavior more likely to occur in the future
Positive Punishment – something is introduced to the environment, following a behavior, which makes the behavior less likely to occur in the future
Negative Punishment – something is removed from the environment, following a behavior, which makes the behavior less likely to occur in the future
By determining the function that is currently maintaining the behavior, we can then set about finding an alternative to the challenging behavior, which provides the same results.
We start with a behavioral assessment to get an objective description of challenging behaviors and the functions of those behaviors. From there we can build a plan for each child that eliminates the current contingencies of the behavior and teaches a more appropriate way to get a similar result.
During a behavior assessment we ask the following questions:
- What does the behavior look like?
- How often does it occur?
- Is there anything that makes the behavior more or less likely to occur?
- What happens immediately before the behavior?
- What happens immediately after the behavior?
The responses help us determine the function of the behavior and develop strategies that will lead to decreasing the occurrence of the behavior in the future. The behavior assessment can also help identify areas in which the child may need some extra help. Some of the skill acquisition areas we may focus on include, but are not limited to, social skills, communication, reading, and academics, as well as adaptive learning skills such as fine motor dexterity, hygiene, grooming, eating, domestic capabilities, and self-regulation.
After the behavioral assessment is completed, a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst develops an individualized plan for the child. The plan details the behaviors targeted for reduction, functional alternatives to those behavior, behaviors targeted to increase (skill acquisition) and procedures/strategies to implement in order to facilitate the behavior change. Interventions might include breaking down skills into more manageable tasks or steps, as well as using reinforcement and/or reward systems that are scientifically proven to be effective. Interventions are individualized and specific to the needs of each client. Behaviors targeted for intervention are chosen with the individual’s best interest in mind and are adjusted and modified as needed. Caregivers, including staff and/or parents, are trained on the plan and maintain ongoing contact with the BCBA as implementation progresses. Behavior plans are reviewed by the BCBA every 6 months to ensure the most up to date behaviors, interventions, and reinforcers are being used. This includes reconducting caregiver interviews, observations of the child and review of the documentation to determine if behavior change is occurring or more significant adjustments should be made.
Consistent ABA therapy can make a tremendous difference for children and caregivers by significantly improving behaviors and skills and may decrease the need for special services. When done well, ABA should be a fun and engaging experience that helps the child thrive in their environment and enriches their lives.