Once you have entered the realm of autism, your vocabulary suddenly changes… you may find yourself speaking in acronyms. Your child’s RBT may be helping the BCBA prepare for an FBA by collecting ABC data…but what does it all mean?! Let’s try to start at the beginning. Chances are, the first acronym you come across (after ASD) is ABA. ABA – Applied Behavior Analysis – is the term to learn before tackling the slew of others. So… let’s get On Our Way… to unpacking ABA.
ABA is the most effective and scientifically proven method for treatment of individuals with autism (Makrygianni et al., 2018). In a meta-analysis conducted by Eldevik and colleagues (2010), results showed that students receiving behavioral intervention made more meaningful gains than students in comparison and control groups. The results from this study “provide evidence that intensive behavioral intervention is an evidence-based intervention for children with autism” (Eldevik et al.,2010, p. 400).
ABA is a specific branch of study that comes from behavior analysis and can be traced back to 1959 (Cooper et al., 2007). ABA and its basic principles arose from the research of B.F. Skinner who discovered that behavior occurs as a result of its consequences. Skinner was able to demonstrate that specific behaviors or responses are able to be increased or decreased depending on whether the consequences following the behavior are favorable or unfavorable (Roane et al., 2016). Need an example? Imagine that your employer agrees to pay employees who arrive on time to work every day a $100 cash bonus at the end of each week…do you imagine yourself hitting the snooze button as many times in the morning?? Likely, your boss’ very favorable incentive will increase your punctual behavior.
ABA is primarily concerned with understanding and improving human behavior (Cooper et al., 2007) and it is “informed by basic and empirically supported learning principles” (Volkmar et al., 2014 p. 246). ABA is considered a “precise and systematic method used to promote learning and produce behavior change” (Lambe et al., 2015, p.364). Interventions are implemented to increase socially significant behaviors and
decrease problematic behaviors. Individual interventions are designed to change behavior in a way that provides individuals more access to reinforcement and improves their quality of life (Lambe et al., 2015). Think back to the example: your boss’ reinforcement (cash bonus) is likely increasing your socially appropriate behavior (being on time) and allowing for a better quality of life (you are enjoying work a bit more these days).
There you have it. You have unpacked one – and quite possibly the most important – acronym in the world of autism. FYI: our next blog will cover an integral component of ABA…reinforcement!
