ABA Therapy

Autism spectrum disorders are a class of developmental disorders that impair social skills, behavior, and communication (Center for Disease Control). ASDs are considered ‘spectrum’ disorders because each patient has a unique experience in the nature and severity of their symptoms (Center for Disease Control). Under the umbrella of ASDs, there are three types of disorders, including Autistic disorder, Asperger Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Center for Disease Control). Autistic disorder is the most severe of the three, and patients exhibit significant problems with language, communication, and behavior (Center for Disease Control). Furthermore, people with Autistic disorder often have some intellectual impairment (Center for Disease Control). Asperger Syndrome is a milder form of autistic disorder where patients have some developmental delays, but their language and intellect are not affected (Center for Disease Control). The mildest of the ASDs is the pervasive developmental disorder. These patients usually don’t meet all of the criteria for autistic disorder, but do show some signs of social and communication problems (Center for Disease Control). The number of children diagnosed with ASD is growing, and currently 1 in 88 children fall somewhere on the spectrum (Mari-Bauset et al., 2013). Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism, and while the exact cause of these disorders is unknown, both genetic and

Autism is the main form of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Autism is a developmental disorder that is manifested in problems with communication, impairment of social functioning, and repetitive behaviours. According to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), ASD diagnoses must meet four different areas of criteria. There are three symptoms of "deficits in social communication and interaction across contexts," four symptoms of "restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, or activities," "symptoms must be present in early childhood," and the symptoms must "together limit and impair everyday functioning" (Carpenter, 2013). There are many theoretical positions on the causes of autism spectrum disorders. Some of which have been discounted by empirical studies that have been researched and performed.

When evaluating a client you are wondering and determining the type of treatment or intervention you would like to introduce. As each client is different, what works for client A may not be effective with client B. In determining the type of intervention there should be a certain level of research along with the gained professional and educational knowledge obtained. While researching treatments there are bound to be a multitude of fad treatments. It is important to research and steer away from alternate treatments also known as AltTs. These treatments are those that attempt to mimic ABA interventions but are not scientifically found. There has been little or no research provided, they have no scientific data, or they may be unsupported. Very few if any have cohesive research studies on entire treatment packages. Using any of these treatments would be deemed unethical. That is why research is key. A lot of AltTs disguise themselves as ABA; when in fact ABA is a science and science is “the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment.” ABA seeks to understand and alter behaviors by observation, study, and proven scientific techniques. Using such treatments could, potentially, do more harm than good. We must remember to respect our practice and bestow our best interest and maintain its

In today’s society, we believe that all humans should be treated equal. We see this every day; on the news, blogs, social networking websites, worldwide campaigns. In her online journal article about life with a child with autism, “Tackling That Troublesome Issue of ABA and Ethics”, published in October of 2012, Ariane Zurcher argues that the issue of ABA therapy should affect either more than those individuals living with autism, or no one at all. ABA therapy is an applied behavior analysis in which patients with autism are motivated to do a certain task; they are often rewarded in hope of having an action come naturally. Zurcher dives into an article by Michelle Dawson, The Misbehavior of Behaviorists: Ethical Challenges to the Autism ABA Industry, which is so often used in Zurcher’s own article to back up her argument regarding ABA therapy. She explains how this argument stems from an inadequate definition of what equality is and how we should not use a therapy technique different from what we would use for a neurotypical individual, “If we really believe Autistic people (and children) deserve the same respect, are truly considered equal as those in the neurotypical population, ABA presents some real problems.” (Zurcher 1; par. 4)

Each year, more than 200,000 people are diagnosed with the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the U.S. ASD or Autism can be characterized as a brain development disorder that directly affects the nervous system. As noted on AutismSpeaks.org, ASD can be deemed as an intellectual disability. Symptoms of Autism can include difficulty with communication, difficulty in social interactions, obsessive interests, and repetitive behaviors. The severity of these symptoms vary with all ASD patients. Some patients with ASD thrive in non-interactive subjects such as math, art, and music.

Autism spectrum disorder is an umbrella term used in diagnosing a collection of developmental disorders of the brain that vary in severity1. People with ASD may have trouble with social interactions, problems with different types of communication, may practice repetitive actions or behaviors1,2, struggle with paying attention, and suffer from motor disfunctions1. ASD is usually diagnosed in children between the ages of 2 and 3, this early diagnosis is very beneficial because it leads to intervention which intern leads to more positive outcomes later in life1. ASD affects 1 in every 68 American children1 and is 4-5 times more common in boys than girls1. Prevalence of this disease is on the rise, with a 10-17% increases in cases per-year1, which could be due to improved diagnostic methods, environmental factors, and other reasons that are unknown1. One well established diagnostic tool is the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) which is 15-point rating scale3 used to diagnose children with ASD and determine its severity2. Another less accredited, but still informative diagnostic tool is the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC)2 which differs from the CARS because it is a parent rater form of measurment2. ASD has no cure, but there have been studies that show behavioral outbursts can be reduced with the use of certain movements and breathing techniques4. This encourages confidence that more aspects of ASD can be improved with similar methods.

ABA uses proven behavioral techniques to teach new positive behaviors and decrease maladaptive behaviors. As are the principles of Behavior Therapies, the treatment plan, goals, and objectives of ABA are constantly evaluated and reevaluated to provide meaningful and individualized treatment to each client; therefore it is a progressive scientific approach (Leaf, Leaf and McEachin). Additionally, ABA is based on behavior therapy models which can be applied to any observable behavior. ABA is a valid treatment method for many symptoms of the most common comorbid disorders to Autism such as ADHD. The effectiveness of ABA across a diversity of clients even extends across race and ethnicity as ABA is practiced in more than fifty-seven countries of the world (Hughes Fong and Tanaka). The way that Early Intensive ABA is able to provide this to each client is by assigning an individualized team of trained professionals to each child receiving services to develop treatment strategies that are contingent upon the child’s success and responsiveness (Leaf, Leaf and

Kazden (2010) talks about two other diagnoses that overlap with the ASD; Asperger’s disorder and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) With the revisions to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, these disorder have now coalesced under one term, Autism Spectrum Disorders. Kazden (2010) goes on to explain that any child who falls onto the spectrum could benefit from the techniques that accompany ABA therapy (p.313). The Center for Autismstates that, “ABA can be used with child and adults with mental illness, developmental disabilities and learning disorders”. However, most studies find that ABA therapy is shows the more positive results with young children (Kazden,

When a child is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the parents face numerous questions about what that means for their child’s life. With a growing prevalence rate of ASD, many parents face the similar struggle in determining what type of treatment will provide the best outcomes for their child. Two popular treatment choices are applied behavioral analysis (ABA) and skills training.

A childhood disorder most common in the field of mental health, autism or autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is a complex neurodevelopment disorder defined by abnormalities and lack of social communication and unusual behaviors. ASD involves most of the part of the brain and affects humans ' ability to communicate and interact with others. ASD begins at an early age. The more common symptoms include difficulty with communication, difficulty with social interactions, obsessive interest, and abnormal behaviors. Recognizing these symptoms at a very young age is critical. The early the recognition better results, recognition of the symptoms along with the help of behavioral, educational and family therapies help may reduce the

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a “developmental disability that cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges” (Autism, 2015a). The word “spectrum” refers to “a wide range of symptoms, skills and levels of impairment or disability that children with ASD can have” (Autism, 2015b). ASD is “not a single disorder, but a spectrum of closely related disorders with shared core of symptoms”. These disorders include: Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and Rett Syndrome (Smith, 2015). One in sixty-eight children in the United States are affected by this disorder (Autism, 2015c). ASD is a little different from the many other mental disorders. It does not affect all children exactly the

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) focuses on scientific approaches to change behavior based on various utilizations of learning principles. Mainly, it’s used in different settings such as homes, schools, workplaces, hospitals, etc.… It can be applied in therapy to handle numerous mental health issues in addition to learning complications, especially with those diagnosed with autism. Most clients in ABA therapy are young, in which they’re in the process of improving social skills and learning behavior. As previously mentioned, ABA is known to be scientific provided that it involves a methodical process of collecting results on targeted behaviors that need to be altered or reinforced. For instance, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) has to implement a program and gradually monitor to assess its effectiveness. The information collected, including baseline data can be measured to determine if there was a positive or negative change in behavior. Therefore, the analyst can decide ways to increase or decrease behavioral occurrence.

The most common and notable treatment approach for people with ASD is called applied behavior analysis (ABA). This treatment has become widely accepted by health care providers and many schools. According to Alexis Ann Schoen, a graduate student from La Salle University, ABA has been reported by the Surgeon General of the United States to be the most effective way to treat autism. ABA begun with laboratory experiments on animals and trials with humans, after these trials were successful it was passed on to children in classroom settings. ABA has been applied to numerous areas of learning such as language, self-help skills, and daily living skills (Snell. 1978). There are different types of ABA. Following are some

Life as a human is full of mystery and discovery. Throughout history, people have set out to learn more about the world and the people inhabiting it. In the process, they gained knowledge about a disorder that is now referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), or simply Autism. ASD is a developmental disorder that results in difficulty in social interactions, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Researchers have come a long way in gathering knowledge about the complex disorder since it was first discovered. Many of its aspects have been discovered and redefined to shape the disorder that is diagnosed and studied today. However, much like many other well-known psychological disorders, autism has yet to be fully understood; instead,

The neurodevelopmental disorders, according to the DSM 5, are a group of conditions with onset in the developmental period. The disorders typically manifest early in development, often before the child enters grade school, and are characterized by developmental deficits that produce impairments of personal, social, academic, or occupational functioning. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is newly classified as such; it was once classified as “Asperger’s Syndrome.” ASD is a severe neurodevelopmental impairment. The disorder limits the functioning capabilities of children and their capacity to communicate as well as interact with others. ASD effects how children perceive the world around them; socializing with others happens to be the most vital piece of development. Onset for ASD can occur as early as infancy, some children, however, may develop normal and then begin to suddenly withdraw and become unusually aggressive with those around them, they also begin to lose vocabulary and language skills they’ve once had. Other medical conditions may be comorbid with ASD; for example, epilepsy, intellectual and structural language disorders, mental disorders, sleep disorders, and avoidant-restrictive food intake disorders, (DSM 5, pg. 59).