From communication barriers to social difficulties and a slew of problematic behaviors, parenting a child on the autism spectrum poses a distinct challenge. Due to learning challenges, children with autism have problems learning simple tasks. Therefore, even the most effortless daily activities can prove overwhelming.
However, that’s not to say that autistic children can’t learn — they’re perfectly capable of learning — but at a much slower rate. Enrolling a child with autism in applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy helps improve their quality of life.
ABA therapy uses an evidence-based approach to help children with autism and their parents or caregivers thrive. It provides them with the tools, strategies, and skills to navigate autism’s complexities.
What is ABA Therapy?
Applied behavioral analysis (ABA) is an evidence-based therapeutic approach that helps modify human behavior. It uses positive reinforcement to incentivize people to learn new skills and adopt new behaviors. Board certified behavioral analysts (BCBA) mainly use ABA therapy to help children with autism improve specific skills while reducing problematic behaviors.
ABA therapy modalities use behaviorism principles such as operant conditioning to guide an individual’s actions and behavior. Therapy entails implementing strategies that help promote skill development and positive behavioral change.
The modality dates back to the 1960s when mental health professionals used it to treat mental health conditions such as developmental disabilities and schizophrenia.
Later, the approach was adapted for autism treatment based on the premise that applying rewards and consequences can help patients with autism learn new skills. Therapists used the system to ingrain behavioral and social skills while extinguishing other behaviors.
Since then, ABA treatment has proven effective in helping clients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) improve their quality of life. Today, many types of ABA therapy have emerged and primarily focus on treating autism and other mental health problems.
The ABA Therapy Process
ABA therapy uses a systemic approach to help clients with autism and other mental health conditions learn new skills and behavior. The ABA therapy process is largely linear and comprises different steps, including:
- Initial assessment: A therapist will assess a child with autism to gather information about their needs, challenges, strengths, and specific goals. That may entail interviewing parents and caregivers and direct observation.
- Behavioral assessment: It helps the therapist to identify and define behaviors to be addressed. The therapist assesses the frequency, intensity, and duration of the concerning behaviors and determines the factors driving them.
- Goal setting: An ABA therapist uses the assessment results to create specific, measurable goals. They work with parents, caregivers, and other healthcare providers to ensure the goals align with a child’s needs and priorities.
- Intervention: Your therapist will then create an intervention plan outlining the reinforcement strategies, behavioral change techniques, and procedures they’ll use to address the target behavior and achieve a positive outcome.
- Implementation: ABA therapists often use one-on-one sessions to implement the intervention plan. They will use various ABA therapy techniques to teach new skills, modify behaviors, and drive positive behavior change.
- Data collection and assessment: Therapists use various methods, including checklists, direct observation, and rating scales, to track your child’s progress. Data collection helps determine the therapy’s efficiency and make the necessary interventions.
- Generalization and maintenance: Generalization helps cement the learned behavior and skills to be useful in the real world. The therapist may entice the client to practice the skills with different people, environments, and conditions.
Periodic monitoring enables therapists to refine treatment strategies alongside a child’s evolving needs to accelerate progress and ensure positive therapeutic outcomes.
Types of ABA Therapy
ABA therapists use various types of ABA therapy to help children with autism work towards improving their quality of life, including:
Discrete Trial Training
Discrete Trial Training (DTT) systematically breaks down skills into smaller achievable steps. A therapist then uses a step-by-step method to teach the child the new behavior. The teaching process employs a cue-and-response structure to drive learning. A child will practice each step several times during the therapy session.
The therapist rewards the child for performing the task successfully or giving a correct response. If the child responds incorrectly, the therapist may repeat the question or provide an instructional prompt. Typically, the therapist will sit across from the child at a table during a DTT session, which makes it easier to analyze behavior.
Incidental Training
Also known as natural environmental training (NET), incidental teaching seeks to help a child learn new skills in the context of their daily life. Unlike DTT, incident training is child-led and happens in the child’s natural environment, such as home or school. The therapist uses a child’s interest to create learning opportunities while engaging them in meaningful activities.
An ABA therapist may use naturalistic teaching to target skills like language and communication skills, play skills, and social interaction. Focusing on the learner’s motivation creates engaging learning experiences, accelerating skill acquisition and generalization.
Pivotal Response Treatment
Pivotal response treatment (PRT) uses a play-based format to help a child with autism learn general skills such as initiating conversations or taking turns. Such skills are pivotal since they allow the child to learn other crucial social behaviors and tasks. Mastering a pivotal skill may lead to noticeable behavioral changes that improve their quality of life.
For instance, a child with autism may become more attentive in class and learn to follow directions. A therapist will observe the child as they play, looking for opportunities to teach pivotal skills. Unlike DTT, which often uses candy or stickers, pivotal response training uses intangible or context-based rewards.
The Early Start Denver Model
The early start Denver model (ESDM) is among the newest ADA therapy modalities. It combines ABA principles with other relationship and development-based approaches. The early intervention program focuses on autistic children between 12 and 48 months.
Unlike DTT, which teaches one skill at a time, ESDM uses a naturalistic, play-based approach to teach multiple skills. For instance, an ESDM therapist may ask a child to put a block in a closed box. Consequently, the child may learn about shapes while practicing fine motor skills.
By taking advantage of the brain’s plasticity and rapid development, ESDM is quite efficient and often leads to positive outcomes. Young children with ASD show marked improvements in language skills, social communication, and developmental milestones.
Focused ABA Therapy
Focused ABA therapy seeks to help a child learn specific behaviors or address a defined area of concern. Therapists lean towards this approach when the child only needs to learn a few chosen skills. Alternatively, a therapist may use it to address an acute behavioral problem that must be prioritized. Since it focuses intensely on select functional skills, Focused ABA therapy may drive noticeable behavioral change. It’s an excellent way to quickly address skills deficits or challenging behaviors.
Comprehensive ABA Therapy
Comprehensive ABA therapy is among the most intensive therapeutic modalities for autism. Each treatment session may last several hours daily for weeks, months, or even years. ABA therapists use this approach to address multiple developmental challenges and teach new skills. Treatment starts with one-on-one ABA sessions and gradually transitions to group activities and naturalistic learning. Parental participation is necessary when using this treatment modality. Popular comprehensive ABA-based methods include early intensive behavioral interventions (EIBI) and verbal behavioral approaches (ABA-VB).
Common ABA Techniques
ABA therapists use various behavioral therapy techniques to help children with autism learn and grow, including:
- Reinforcement: Therapists use positive reinforcement to reward desired behavior and negative reinforcement to discourage behaviors. Consistent application of these reinforcements enables the child to learn positive behavior while dropping the undesired ones.
- Video modeling: Since young children learn by modeling, therapists often use video modeling as a learning opportunity. They will have your child watch a video and have the child mimic what they see if they find themselves in a similar situation.
- Prompting and fading: A therapist will use physical or verbal cues to help a child learn new skills or complete a given activity. The therapist gradually reduces their assistance, leaving the child to complete the task independently.
- Generalization: Generalization entails teaching a child to use a particular concept in multiple scenarios or different manners. For instance, they may learn to ask for water at home and generalize the skill to ask for water when the family goes to the park.
- Parent-implemented intervention: Therapists often train parents and caregivers in the ABA therapy principles and how to use them at home. This technique equips parents with the skills to drive behavioral changes and teach new skills as their child’s needs evolve.
Your child’s therapist will likely handpick a few techniques and use them to create a custom treatment plan tailored to your child’s needs or a specific goal.
Benefits of ABA Therapy
As an evidence-based approach, ABA therapy confers numerous benefits to children with autism and individuals with developmental challenges. Benefits of an ABA program include:
- Tailored approach: The therapy techniques are adapted and tailored to address the specific needs of an autistic child.
- It’s iterative: ABA therapists can switch or increase techniques as the child advances through therapy to reinforce and accelerate their ability to learn and generalize new skills.
- Compounding gains: Each ABA technique seeks to help the child achieve the ultimate goal of mastering, internalizing, and repeating positive behaviors.
- Skill development: ABA therapy helps children with autism develop new skills and behaviors across various life sectors.
- It empowers parents and caregivers: ABA therapy, when combined with reflexive functions (RF) training, teaches parents to support autistic children effectively. It eliminates the frustration and feelings of helplessness that may come from caring for a child with special needs.
- Behavioral modification: ABA therapy helps modify challenging behaviors that may interfere with an autistic child’s daily functioning or social interactions.
- Communication enhancement: ABA therapy empowers children with autism to use verbal and non-verbal means to express their needs, wants, and ideas.
- Independence and self-help skills: ABA therapy enables children with autism to become independent and self-reliant by helping them learn and master daily living skills.
ABA therapy helps children with autism improve their academic skills. It also enables them to engage in meaningful social interaction, build relationships, and engage with peers.
Who May Benefit from ABA Therapy?
While therapists primarily use ABA therapy to treat children with ASD, the modality helps treat other conditions including:
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
- Anxiety disorder
- Post-traumatic disorder (PTSD)
- Substance abuse
- Sleep problems
Both children and adults with developmental disorders may benefit from attending ABA therapy as it’s grounded in behaviorism.
Choosing the Best ABA Therapy Techniques for Your Child
Naturally, parents want the best outcome when enrolling a child with autism in ABA therapy. Therefore, you may feel the pressure to know which ABA therapy techniques you will use and if they’ll deliver the best outcome for your child.
Luckily, ABA therapy is collaborative. Your child’s therapist will assess your child and work with you to create a custom treatment plan. Your therapist will use your child’s unique needs and situation. Typically, the ABA therapy techniques the therapist uses during the initial therapy sessions will quickly give way as your child progresses.
You’ll work with your child’s therapist to identify the best techniques and which ones you may consider later. An ABA therapist will help you understand what each method entails and which best suits your child’s needs. More importantly, they advise which techniques to avoid based on your child’s cognitive abilities and behaviors.
Let Your Child Lead a Quality Life
Enrolling your child in ABA therapy gives an autistic child a chance at leading a happy and fulfilling life. Its systematic approach allows children with autism to learn new skills and behaviors as they work to become socially adept, self-reliant, and independent. Your autistic child can easily communicate their needs, making parenting easier and more rewarding.
Grow Therapy can help connect you with a registered behavior technician in your state and enroll your child in ABA therapy. You can opt for an online or in-person session and schedule a session within two days.
