Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the use of learning and motivation principles from Behavior Analysis, along with related procedures and technology, to solve issues of social significance. When it comes to autism, behavioral treatment has proved to be effective on children. The goal of behavioral treatment is to help these kids catch up to the same skill level as any of their peers whose development is considered more usual. Moreover, the program is individualized to suit the child's particular strengths and weaknesses.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is among the most commonly used therapies for children with autism spectrum disorder. Truth is, it is the only therapy that research has proven to be effective. ABA training is most potent when begun at around the age of 5, although it also helps older kids with ASD. Decades upon decades of research have affirmed ABA-based treatments, and the following have been the most noteworthy findings:
ABA therapy is effective.
When it comes to treating ASD in children, Applied Behavior Analysis therapy is deemed as the gold standard. As previously mentioned, there is no other ASD treatment whose effectiveness is more supported by research than ABA.
ABA makes children friendlier.
ABA teaches kids the social skills that most other ASD therapies lack. These are the very skills that children need to form friendships.
ABA helps kids adapt to our world.
Learning activities of daily living - toileting, for example - is obviously important to surviving in our society. ABA teaches such skills quite effectively to children with ASD.
ABA helps improve parenting.
The ABA approach includes educating parents in terms of dealing with children who have ASD. It is usually difficult to parent a child with the condition, but ABA can help simplify this task.
ABA allows parents to expect more from their children.
ABA is so effective that, in some cases, children lose their ASD diagnosis after some time. More importantly, through ABA, it can be shown that the child can accomplish way beyond what the parents thought were possible before therapy.
The most important argument against the use of ABA therapy is that the child must be left to be who he is. But this is no different from arguments that kids who are deaf should not get cochlear implants. The problem is that most of us aren't on the autism spectrum. If a child were to live in our common world, they have to learn to cope with its daily demands just like the rest of us. This is exactly how ABA has been proven to work.