Tuesday 3 January 2017

Breaking The Stigmas Through Applied Behavior Analysis Alabama

By Marie Russell


Applied behavioral analysis (ABA) is the leading scientific method that helps patients with Autism to overcome their condition. In order to improve their condition, ABA specialists focus on a system of reward, which encourages positive actions like speech, social activity and life skill improvements. Applied behavior analysis Alabama particularly comes handy in children.

One of the first things to be addressed is the very validity and effectiveness of the ABA. It is and remains one of the most peer-reviewed scientific research compiled practices in existence. It relies on evidence-based practice in the field of treating autism, as featured in an excellent article from The Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT). The fact that the unfortunate practice of physical punishment took place when education about autism was limited in the 1950s has continued to shed a negative shadow on the ABA.

How does ABA work? Since autistic children have low capacity of absorption, tasks are broken down into different areas, and then children focus on each of them separately through an approach known as discrete trial training (DTT). This method allows autistic children to learn tasks like persistent eye contact, fine and gross motor skills, academics, conversation ability, self-help and others. The process usually starts with the most basic skills and moves on towards more complicated ones as the child develops.

New Advancements. In recent years, there has been a new approach to DTT, which focuses on a reward system. Basically, the child is always awarded, no matter how small a progress he/she made. If a child does not complete a task, the therapist will then guide him/her towards the correct answer. After a while, this makes the child learn on his/her own, without the help from a therapist. This is referred to as "errorless learning" in the literature and is widely accepted as one of the best methods for teaching autistic children.

However, most of the ground-breaking studies of today are focused on children. These studies mainly focus on instilling primary life skills. Tasks that can seem simple to the average person can be very challenging to a child with autism. Introducing this type of instruction early in an autism child has proven to help decrease disruptive episodes as they enter adulthood. Continued learning takes place our entire lives and is no different in the autism spectrum. These effective strategies have been proven to be helpful on all levels of life skill application.

The model is also helpful in the development of children. With Applied Behavior Analysis, children are taught concepts and behaviors in the most basic way possible. Every item to be taught is broken down into the smallest steps possible, and each step is taught repeatedly until it is understood or able to be mimicked. Over time, skills and behaviors are learned and a child learns how to perform certain tasks or understand certain concepts. This helps them learn in the same way as other children and can often lead to the ability to transition into a standard classroom setting.

Applied Behavior Analysis is a proven technique and an answer sought by many parents, but it is commonly an expensive therapy. While most parents want only the best for their children, a large number of families cannot afford to hire an intensive therapist to work with their child 40 hours a week. For these people, home based ABA therapy programs are an excellent solution.

In conclusion, Friends and family of those with autism are suggested to stay close to their ABA principles and apply the teachings to classrooms and homes for a more consistent environment.




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