Applied Behavioral Analysis: What is ABA?

Written By Steve Laffer

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is an intervention often used for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It:

  • Teaches an individual how to do something (for example, prepare for school, behave better, play with others, or do things for himself or herself);

  • Is very tailored to an individual’s needs;

  • Breaks a new skill down into very small steps;

  • Rewards an individual for each step he or she does, even if he or she needs help;

  • Is patient-friendly, and rewards the individual receiving ABA with things or activities he or she likes;

  • Can be adjusted to any level of ability;

  • Collects data and measures the individual’s skills regularly in order to adjust the teaching level.

ABA programs can be very structured for “work time,” but also include play time and group activities. ABA programs work best when they are used every day for enough time to show progress and when they include family members to help choose goals and to continue teaching at home.

Examples of some ABA teaching programs are:

  • Discrete Trial Training (Lovaas)

  • Pivotal Response Training

  • Verbal Behavior Approach

  • Competent Learner Model

  • Functional Communication Training

  • Precision Teaching

  • STAR Curriculum

  • Incidental Teaching

What Ages of Individuals Can Benefit from ABA?

ABA works with people of all ages, but it is best to start as early as possible. Most research on ABA has focused on children, and studies have shown that ABA helps children with autism learn.

Most children are between 2 and 6 years old when they begin ABA treatment. If a child starts at age 2, ABA can help him or her to develop better communication and other skills to get ready for preschool. At older ages, ABA is often used as part of an individual’s education, to teach social skills, daily living skills, or to help change problem behaviors.

Steve Laffer
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Symptoms of Autism