What is ABA?

[Sarah108]

This is more for Waterdreamer, but if anyone else can tell me? I saw it mentioned on her blog?

[carpe vestri vita]

Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)is a system of autism treatment based on behaviorist theories which, simply put, state that behaviors can be taught through a system of rewards and consequences. The Lovaas Institute explains the concept in this way:

    * Applied - principles applied to socially significant behavior
    * Behavioral - based on scientific principles of behavior
    * Analysis - progress is measured and interventions modified
( . . . )
ABA has a reputation for being the most successful form of therapy available for autistic children. It also has a reputation for creating robotic, emotionless children. A bit of truth is in both of these claims.

ABA has been around longer than any other behavioral or developmental intervention for autism. ABA therapists are also required to keep extensive notes on their outcomes. This means that ABA has been more fully researched and replicated than any other form of therapy.

From http://autism.about.com/od/alllaboutaba/a/abaoverview.htm

Hope that helps.

[waterdreamer]

Yep, that about covers it. We have a consultant, senior tutor and 2 tutors who work with my son. When our program is running full force, he gets about 31 hours of therapy a week.
I also don't have a robotic child, he is FULL of expression and emotion We found this mix with diet and right brain development to be very successful

[waterdreamer]

This is the description of the program he is in:
The Preschool ABA Program works collaboratively in partnership with our clients’ families and caregivers to provide sound, effective ABA-supported educational programs based on the provincial curriculum followed by the schools. Our main activities are detailed below.

 Assessments
Children are assessed on several measures upon intake and yearly thereafter. Results are used to determine learning goals and to assess progress.
Application of learning principles
ABA Consultants design teaching programs that include the application of behavioural principles and procedures. The ABA Consultants ensure the outcomes of teaching strategies are continually monitored and change strategies if needed. They also ensure progress is demonstrated through the summary of data and production of summary graphs and break down teaching into achievable sub-goals. They also ensure prompting techniques are used to encourage independent responding and make learning rewarding, reinforcing when appropriate.

 One-to-one teaching sessions
Children receive two ABA sessions every day, typically delivered by two tutors. Each session is 3-3.5 hours long. Every two weeks, the child receives one half-day off.

Clinic meetings
Meetings are led by ABA consultants every 2-4 weeks or every 2-3 months in rural areas. All team members participate to discuss current programming, successes and challenges.

 

Overlaps
The senior tutor provides training and supervision sessions to tutors and parents every 2-4 weeks, except in distant rural areas.

 

Challenging behaviour support
Behaviour Analysts specialize in supporting the improvement of challenging behaviour. Behavioural intervention plans and procedural recommendations are based on outcomes of functional assessment and analysis of challenging behaviours.

 

Promoting and ensuring parental involvement
Families are an integral part of their child’s education and have a significant role in supporting the ABA programs. Parents have a commitment to provide five hours of ABA programming to their children.

 
Annual review meetings
Families attend an annual review meeting where their child’s progress is reviewed and future goals are discussed.

[LMsMum]

Although it is a highly structured programme, the opinion that ABA creates robotic children is out-of-date, as the approach has evolved and changed considerably from the original Lovaas's method when this criticism came up. I have tried following this method and the principles are very sound and work well. They would work with anybody, in fact, although, as intervention, this method is normally used to work with children on the spectrum. The very basic idea is breaking every skill taught into small manageable steps and putting in place an effective system of reinforcement.

Waterdreamer, that sounds like a great programme! I hope this would be provided by the state in the UK one day too.

[AnnHist]

do polskojęzycznych rodziców dzieci autystycznych:

przeglądam z moim zespołem forum poświęcone autyzmowi wielokrotnie i chciałabym zaprosić rodziców do publikacji
swoich uwag na temat skuteczności ABA lub innych terapii na naszym portalu:
http://www.psychoster.eu/autyzm.php

Co pomogło Waszemu dziecku?
Jak oceniacie skuteczność diet w autyzmie?
Jak oceniacie skuteczność programu son-rise?

piszcie, będziemy publikować - na pożytek innych rodzin

[mother of faith]

looks as though this method needs to be introduced more. Does anyone have a link where I might purchase this method? Waterdreamer you mentioned your son using it, how can someone else get started using it? Is it more for professionals to introduce or can homeschoolers purchase and use it as well? I will search the web for more info. Thanks

[waterdreamer]

ABA is not really a program you can buy. Well I guess you could buy the curriculum but it's really a team effort. I'm am blessed to live in Manitoba where the government believe in it and runs a program to help children with autism. But I have read that in the states it can cost $100,000+ to run the program for a single year. People who do run the program max. out their credit cards, lines of credits, get a second and third mortgage. It's really awful that people have to go these measures. 
I thing you could do the programs on your own but the consultants and senior tutors have years of experience to pick and choose which programs would help you child, and the tutors help run them. 

[mother of faith]

thanks for the info very interesting

[LMsMum]

mother of faith, rethinkautism.com is a subscription-based platform with a great ABA-based curriculum. I would highly recommend it to any family not being able to afford an ABA programme and looking to DIY.

[waterdreamer]

Thanks for the info. I'll have to go and look there tonight !!

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