What Does ABA Therapy Entail?
Applied Behaviour Analysis is a scientific approach to learning that displays effective means of teaching new skills, advancing existing skills, and reducing the behaviour problems that hinder skill acquisition. ABA works on teaching a child to develop in all skill areas (academic, self-help, speech and language, socially inappropriate behaviour, social skills) (ABC,Inc. 2001) ABA is important because it is solidly based on scientific research, and is the only known therapy intervention used in children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder proved to show such vastly positive and permanent results. (Maurice,C.1996) ABA is based upon the functional analysis of behaviour. ABA examines the behaviours and skills required by the child, and through complex and detailed assessment of the environmental factors related to the behaviour, increases, decreases and or/maintains the socially required behaviour. ABA therapy teaches a child by breaking down each skill required into small, manageable steps.
