What is Applied Behavior Anaylsis or ABA?
A very good book for parents to read is Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism by Suzanne Buchananon Psy.D., BCBA and May Jane Weiss Ph.D, BCBA. Publisher The New Jersey Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community (COSAC). Publication date: February 2006. I have this book at my office and I would welcome any parent or professional to drop by and take a look at it.
“....behavior analytic treatment for autism uses reinforcement in structured and natural environments to help individuals learn new skills. Skills ranging from simple to complex are broken down into small, measurable units and systematically taught. A high-priority goal is making it enjoyable for the learner. Through carefully planned guidance and reinforcement, the learner is more likely to exhibit appropriate behavior during and after the teaching interaction. In contrast, problem behaviors are not reinforced. Some analysis may be necessary to determine the function(s) and reinforcers for these behaviors to develop an effective intervention plan (Buchananon and Weiss 2006, p.9).
Per Cooper, Heron, and Heward (1987) define ABA as: “ the science in which procedures derived from the principles of behavior are systematically applied to improve socially significant behavior to a meaningful degree and to demostrate experimentally that the procedures employed were responsible for the improvement of behavior.“ (p.14)
The following website is a good reference too: http://www.abainternational.org/ba.asp
Hope you find this helpful.
Marla Root
Step By Step Academy
445 E. Dublin-Granville Rd.
Building G
Worthington, OH 43085