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Applied Behavioral Analysis - Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and Autism

Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) is a treatment for autism based on behaviorist theories that behaviors can be taught through rewards and consequences. Psychologist Ivar Lovaas first applied ABA to autism in 1987, finding that social and behavioral skills could be taught even to profoundly autistic children using ABA's discrete trial training method. ABA starts with discrete trials where a therapist asks a child to perform a behavior and rewards compliance or ignores non-compliance to modify the child's behavior over time to help them function better. Younger children receive a modified play-based version of ABA focused on mastery of behaviors before practicing in real-world settings.

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Mahesh Rathnayake
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139 views

Applied Behavioral Analysis - Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and Autism

Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) is a treatment for autism based on behaviorist theories that behaviors can be taught through rewards and consequences. Psychologist Ivar Lovaas first applied ABA to autism in 1987, finding that social and behavioral skills could be taught even to profoundly autistic children using ABA's discrete trial training method. ABA starts with discrete trials where a therapist asks a child to perform a behavior and rewards compliance or ignores non-compliance to modify the child's behavior over time to help them function better. Younger children receive a modified play-based version of ABA focused on mastery of behaviors before practicing in real-world settings.

Uploaded by

Mahesh Rathnayake
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© © All Rights Reserved
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6/25/2014 Applied Behavioral Analysis - Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorders


Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and Autism
By Lisa Jo Rudy Updated April 13, 2009

What Is ABA?

Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)1 is a system of autism treatment based on behaviorist theories which, simply put, state that behaviors can be taught
through a system of rewards and consequences. The Lovaas Institute 2 explains the concept in this way:

Applied - principles applied to socially significant behavior


Behavioral - based on scientific principles of behavior
Analysis - progress is measured and interventions modified

ABA and Autism

When it comes to autism, ABA has become synonymous with the methods and research of Dr. Ivar Lovaas. (This is why ABA is sometimes actually
called "Lovaas" within the autism community!) Lovaas, a psychologist, first applied ABA to autism at the Psychology Department at UCLA in 1987. His
idea was that social and behavioral skills could be taught, even to profoundly autistic children, through the ABA method. Indeed, his idea turned out to
be quite correct: Many if not most children who receive ABA training learn to behave appropriately at least some of the time -- and some even lose
their autism diagnosis after years of intensive therapy.

Can ABA Cure Autism? 3

How ABA Works

The Lovaas Method of ABA starts with "discrete trials" therapy (sometimes referred to just as "dicrete"). A discrete trial consists of a therapist asking a
child for a particular behavior (for example, "Johnny, please pick up the spoon"). If the child complies, he is given a "reinforcer" or reward in the form of
a tiny food treat, a high five, or any other reward that means something to the child. If the child does not comply, he does not receive the reward, and
the trial is repeated.

What is Discrete Trials? 4

It's important to note that the specific content of the discrete trials therapy is based on an evaluation of the individual child, his needs, and his
abilities. So a child who is already capable of sorting shapes would not be asked to sort shapes indefinitely for rewards -- but would focus on different,
more challenging social and/or behavioral tasks.

The very youngest children (under age three) receive a modified form of ABA which is much closer to play therapy than to discrete trials. As they
master behaviors, well-trained therapists will start to take learners out the classroom or home setting and into more natural settings, where they can
practice and adapt their new skills to the real world.

Pros and Cons of ABA5

This About.com page has been optimized for print. To view this page in its original form, please visit: http://autism.about.com/od/alllaboutaba/a/abaoverview.htm
©2014 About.com, Inc. All rights reserved.

Links in this article:


1. http://www.autism .about.com /od/autism te rm s/g/ABA.htm
2. http://www.lovaas.com
3. http://autism .about.com /od/alllaboutaba/f/ABAcure .htm
4. http://autism .about.com /od/tre atm e ntoptions/f/W hatisABA.htm
5. http://www.autism .about.com /od/alllaboutaba/a/abaove rvie w_2.htm

http://autism.about.com/od/alllaboutaba/a/abaoverview.htm?p=1 1/1

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