Behavior analysis is a natural science approach to understanding behavior. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is the use of behavior analytic principles and methods to change socially important behaviors. That is, ABA is the use of evidence-based methods to improve behavior by using interventions that are based upon the principles of behavior analysis.
Autism is one of many areas in which behavior analysis has been applied successfully. Since the early 1960s, hundreds of researchers have documented the effectiveness of ABA principles and methods for (a) increasing behaviors (e.g., on-task behavior, social interactions), (b), teaching new behaviors (e.g., language, social skills), (c) maintaining behaviors that have been taught, (d) generalizing or transferring behaviors from one situation or response to another (e.g., completing tasks at school and at home), and (e) reducing maladaptive behaviors (e.g., self injury or stereotypy) in individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.
Today, quality ABA programs for learners with the diagnosis of autism combine research-validated methods into a comprehensive, highly individualized curriculum. For each learner, behaviors to be increased and behaviors to be decreased are clearly defined in observable terms and measured carefully by direct observation. Assessments are conducted to determine existing skills and those that have not yet been developed. Selection of treatment goals for each individual is guided by data from the assessments and the curriculum includes skills in all domains (e.g., language, social, academic, self-care, motor, play, leisure). Each skill is broken into small steps and sequenced from simple to complex. The overall goal is to help each learner develop skills that will enable him or her to be as independent and successful as possible.
A variety of behavior analytic procedures can be used to teach and maintain behavior. The learner’s program typically consists of explicitly arranged multiple, repeated opportunities to learn and practice skills with abundant positive reinforcement. One method of teaching is discrete trial training (DTT). DTT involves a teacher presenting a series of trials to the learner, each consisting of a specific instruction, an opportunity for the learner to respond, and a consequence delivered depending on the learner's response. These arrangements are essential for building many important skills in learners with autism. However, effective ABA programs use DTT in conjunction with other procedures to promote generalization to other, everyday situations. Some other procedures include but are not limited to the following: learner-initiated sequences (i.e., incidental teaching), task analysis (breaking complex skills down by each step) and chaining to teach skills involving sequences of actions or steps, and instructional trials embedded in ongoing activities. Effective ABA places a strong emphasis on making learning fun and producing positive social interactions that are enjoyable.
In a quality ABA program, all teaching procedures are clearly defined and specified. The instructions, prompts or cues, reinforcers, and materials are tailored to the individual learner. There is a written program or set of instructions for teaching each skill. The behavior analyst that is directing the program trains all staff and family members to implement the treatment programs consistently. It is particularly important for parents to be trained to implement the procedures outside of formal treatment sessions in a variety of settings (home, playground, community); research has shown that otherwise, the learner's skills are not likely to generalize.
Maladaptive behaviors (e.g., stereotypic behavior, self injury, aggressive and disruptive behavior) are explicitly not reinforced. Instead, appropriate alternative or incompatible behaviors are taught and reinforced. Progress is measured frequently using the direct observational measurement methods. Data are graphed to provide visual analysis of the learner’s response with each skill and each maladaptive behavior that is targeted for treatment. The data are reviewed regularly by the behavior analyst directing the program so that errors can be caught early and intervention methods adjusted promptly if progress is not satisfactory. The behavior analyst also observes treatment and provides feedback to the teachers on an ongoing basis.
A defining feature of a quality ABA program is that they are directed by professionals with advanced formal training in behavior analysis (e.g., master's degree, doctorate degree) as well as, supervised experience in designing and implementing ABA programs for learners with autism and related disorders. These professionals have either met the educational, experiential, and examination performance standards of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) ( http://www.bacb.com) and are Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA’s), or can document that they have at least the equivalent training and experience. These professionals adhere to the BACB's Guidelines for Responsible Conduct and base treatment on the best available scientific evidence. For further information about the training and skills required to direct ABA programming for learners with autism, see the guidelines for consumers developed by the Autism Special Interest Group of the Association for Behavior Analysis at http://www.bacb.com/consum_frame.html
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