What is Applied Behavior Analysis?
Applied Behavior Analysis the application of principles of behavior to make meaningful and lasting change. It seeks to understand how behaviors are learned and how the environment affects such behaviors. ABA based therapy is a flexible treatment plan that follows a set of guiding principles that can be adapted to individuals in a variety of settings.
Behavior Analysis is a data driven science. To ensure that interventions and support plans are successful, data is continually collected during to determine effectiveness and therefore what adjustments should be made to programing.
At Building Bridges, we incorporate a variety of strategies to ensure that learners are truly able to access meaningful instruction and learn skills that can be adapted and useful in everyday life situations.
Common Myths
I’ve heard that ABA therapy is too rigid and its mostly table top activities and flash cards.
ABA based therapies have a lot of variety. They can be done in almost any setting and with materials that are important to the learning targets. A big focus is the incorporation of the client’s interests. With younger learners, that is often done through play and Natural Environment Teaching procedures. With older clients, support plans incorporate projects, discussions, and various activities. Additionally all goals in ABA based therapies are targeted in a way that teaches ways to respond in various situations. This means teaching in the environment and conditions in which the skills are to be utilized in real world settings.
I’ve heard that ABA is only for children with ASD, not for adults and not for neurotypical children.
Research shows that ABA based therapies are effective a teaching skills to all individuals across ages and domains not only children with autism. Behavior Analysis focuses on how learning occurs and best strategies to teach those skill. This included working with children that are diagnosed with developmental differences and those without. Teens and adults can benefit from support in Behavior Management that focuses on building strategies for independence, self-management, and emotional regulation especially with strategies in Acceptance and Commitment Training.
I’ve heard that ABA only address problem behaviors and nothing else.
When we talk about ‘behavior’ in Applied Behavior Analysis, we are discussing just about anything a person does. This can include communicating needs, getting dressed, completing work, planning an activity, or even specific ‘problem behaviors’. Applied Behavior Analysis looks at helping an individual thrive in their environment both by teaching new skills and reducing challenging behaviors.
Addressing challenges is done by first understanding the cause, or function, of the behavior. We know that those challenging behaviors occur either as a form of communication, not knowing particular skills, or environmental difficulties. We then look for ways to change the environment or teach new skills so ‘problem behaviors’ are less likely to occur.
I’ve heard that ABA therapy requires 40 hours a week to be effective.
The amount of support needed varies from person to person. It depends on what skills are being worked on the type of support involved in teaching these skills. For younger learners, it can be helpful to have more hours of ABA support. However, the assumption of having 40 hours of direct therapy is in a session with a therapist is incorrect . Often recommendations are made to increase family or school participation to incorporate ABA strategies throughout the day rather than increasing 1-on-1 sessions with a therapist.