How does applied behavior analysis work?
Applied behavior analysis training is usually conducted by a highly trained therapist. The therapist spends 20 to 40 hours per week working one-on-one with a child. All children with autism are unique and have specific learning needs. Consequently, the therapist will develop an applied behavior analysis program tailored specifically to a child. The treatment begins with an assessment by the therapist. The purpose of the assessment is to determine which skills the child already possesses and where the child has deficits. The therapist next develops an ABA program aimed at increasing the child’s skills in many areas. The program will likely include goals related to: • academic development • communication skills • social skills After identifying the goals, the therapist creates a series of steps to help the child reach these goals. The ABA therapist can employ a number of different procedures to teach the child with autism a given skill. One commonly used procedure is discrete trial train
