Invented in the 1960s, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is a decades-old, tried-and-true method for teaching social and emotional skills to children with autism and other developmental disorders. In short, ABA is a type of therapy that helps to bridge communication or behavioral issues through reinforcement methods. The ultimate goal is for individuals to become more independent and successful, long-term.
How Does ABA Therapy for Autism Work?
Applied Behavior Analysis for autism revolves around behaviors. Negative behaviors are discouraged, while positive behaviors are encouraged and reinforced. While there are several different models of ABA therapy, all of them operate on the basic principle that learning can be broken down into three elementary components: antecedent, behavior, and consequence (often abbreviated to ABC).
- Antecedent: the stimulus or request that prompts a behavior
- Behavior: the action that results from the stimulus
- Consequence: the response to the behavior (either positive reinforcement or correction)
Although ABA is typically implemented by professionals such as behavior analysts in therapy sessions, parents, teachers, and caregivers can be educated to utilize and support ABA in other environments.
What Are the Benefits of ABA Therapy?
ABA therapy for autism has been proven to help students improve social and emotional skills. For children on the autism spectrum, ABA can help them:
- develop essential life skills
- improve social skills
- transfer skills to different contexts
- increase self-control and self-regulation
ABA offers a lot of room for personalization and can be modified to fit the needs of individuals, depending on their age, abilities, and situations. It also provides parents with an effective model for interacting with their children and empowers them to contribute to their child's success.
Envision Unlimited offers ABA therapy for both adults and children. As a nonprofit, we are dedicated to helping people with disabilities live happy, fulfilled lives in their communities. Our offerings, which include specialized foster care, day programs, employment services, and accredited applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy, are designed to address the unique needs of each of our clients, regardless of age, background, or ability.
Our services are grounded in a spirit of compassion, advocacy, and empowerment. We believe that all individuals are capable of living successful lives if given the right opportunity.