ABA & Autism

"Autism" is a diagnostic term included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision Edition (DSM-IV-TR) used to describe individuals with impaired social interactions and communication, and who possess repetitive, stereotypical behaviors, interests or activities.

How Can Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Help?

Applied Behavior Analysis has been endorsed by the U.S. Surgeon General (see subsection on Autism), the National Institute of Health (see treatment section), the New York State Department of Mental Health, and many other states, including Louisiana, as an effective evidence-based treatment for Autism and many other pervasive developmental disrders.

A qualified professional, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), should be contacted when seeking ABA services. BCBAs working in the field of autism intervention conduct skill assessments, functional assessments, and functional analyses to tailor an intervention plan to meet the needs of the individual client. Skills assessments assist in pinpointing areas in which a client may have skill deficits so that instructional strategies can be developed to teach those skills. Functional assessments and analyses assist in determining why problematic behaviors are occurring so that behavior reduction strategies can be implemented specific to the problem behavior. To find a BCBA, visit the "certificant registry" of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) website. For guidelines in selecting a BCBA to direct an intervention for persons with Autism visist the BACB website.

Beware of frauds; there is currently no 'cure' for autism and refrain from using therapies that offer no research evidence. The Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT) provides a review of the available research evidence for autism treatments.

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