Help with Autism – Resources about ABA principles

Applied behavior analysis, popularly known as ABA is an evidence-based means to observe, intervene and assess behavioral changes and provide the means to modify those everyday challenges, which in ABA terminology are referred to as target behaviors. ABA techniques teach skills to replace the problem behaviors so the child knows what “to do” rather than just what “not to do”.

Common misconceptions associated with ABA are –

• ABA is specialized autism therapy and is not useful for other diagnoses.
• Children are not taught to be independent thinkers but merely trained to react to stimuli (“little robots”).
• ABA just uses food and toys to bribe kids into doing things
• ABA gets children hooked on edible rewards.
• ABA addresses behavior only and does not focus on language.
• ABA doesn’t work with older kids.
• ABA is all table work.
• Skills only work at the table, with the therapist.

To learn more about ABA check out this simple yet very effective handout on all you need to know about ABA and the science behind it.