What is ABA Therapy?

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is an evidenced based treatment that can be used to treat skill deficits and behavior excesses including but not limited to: communication skills, language skills, social skills, safety skills, daily living skills, and problem behaviors (self injury, aggression, tantrums, elopement, etc

The frequency and intensity of ABA therapy a patient receives will largely depend on their age and goals for treatment. ABA has proved successful at helping individuals with autism and other diagnoses learn behaviors and skills, which has led many advocates to recommend it. This form of therapy is known as the “gold standard” for autism treatment. During regular evaluations, we can track your child’s progress. A consistent ABA therapy approach has been shown to increase developmental skills in children for the next stage of their lives.

The Main Goals of ABA Are:

  • Analyzing how & why behaviors are learned
  • Using reinforcement procedures to facilitate an increase in socially appropriate and functional behaviors, It’s not always positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement can also be used
  • Help children build communication, play, visual, self-help, and social skills
  • Helps reduce inappropriate behaviors
  • Individualize to each child’s unique needs & challenges

What Diagnoses Can ABA Be Used For?

ABA can be used across all populations and diagnoses. While it is most commonly associated with autism spectrum disorder, it is often also utilized in ADHD, intellectual disabilities, Down’s syndrome, and other developmental disabilities.

For adults, ABA therapy has also been found helpful for substance abuse disorders, dementia, eating disorders, anger issues, and borderline personality disorder.

Key Characteristics of Applied Behavioral Analysis

  • Observations focus on what the child does, when he or she does it, at what rate, and what happened before (antecedents) and afterwards (consequences).
  • By breaking down skills into small steps, the child can learn skills he/she does not demonstrate.
  • There is emphasis on teaching a child how to learn – to listen, to watch, to imitate.
  • Learning is facilitated using prompts and guidance with the goal being independence. These prompts will fade gradually while the child shows improvement.
  • In addition to learning steps, the child is taught to combine them in complex ways and practice them in multiple environments with a variety of people.
  • At the end of each session, a record is kept of the child’s responses. By analyzing this data, the progress of the student can be determined. In this case, a program modification will be considered and implemented.
  • To ensure that procedures are applied correctly and safely, caregivers and behavior technicians are observed continuously at first and then less frequently. This information contributes to our understanding of how to avoid and overcome problems in practice and how to improve the efficiency of procedures.

These are just a few of the real-world application skills your child can learn during ABA therapy. When it comes to ABA therapy, there is not a copy and paste approach. Every program will be individualized to your child’s needs. The therapists at Synergy Behavioral Center provide data-driven evaluations, procedures, and treatments that have been backed by evidence-based research and accepted in correlation with industry standards. At Synergy Behavioral, we will deliver evaluations then formulate a proper plan of action. Finally, our certified team of behavioral experts will tailor individual suggestions towards a progressive behavior change for your child.

Hours of Operation

Monday – Friday:
(9 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

Contact Us Today

Phone: (407) 655-4230
Email: info@SynergyBehavioralCenter.com