Autism and ABA

What are the key features of
Applied Behavior Analysis?

• The person’s behavior is assessed through observations that focus on exactly what the person does, when the person does it, at what rate, and what happens before (antecedents) and what happens after behavior (consequences). Strengths and weaknesses are specified in this way.
• Skills that the person does not demonstrate are broken down into small steps.
• To teach each step:
• A – give a clear instruction, provide assistance in following the instruction (for example "prompt" by demonstration or physical guidance), and use materials that are at the person’s level.
• B – get a correct response.
• C – give a positive reinforcer (A consequence that will lead the person to do the behavior again in the future.)
• Many opportunities or trials are given repeatedly in structured teaching situations and in the course of everyday activities.
• Instruction emphasizes teaching a person how to learn -- to listen, to watch, to imitate.
• As the person progresses, guidance is systematically reduced so that the person is responding independently; prompts are faded out.
• As steps are acquired, the person is taught to combine them in more complex ways and to practice them in more situations.
• Problem behavior is not reinforced. The person is not allowed to escape from learning and is redirected to engage in appropriate behavior.
• The person’s responses during every lesson are recorded. These data are used to determine if he or she is progressing at an acceptable rate. If not, that part of the program needs changing.
• The “therapist’s” (teacher’s, parent’s) behavior is also observed continuously at first and then less frequently and as needed to ensure that procedures are being applied correctly and safely.
• Recording client and therapist behavior is essential because we need to SEE that the program is working as well as it can be. Even highly experienced behavior analysts need feedback in the form of detailed, rigorous performance data.
• Observing therapist behavior tells us that the procedures are being followed correctly and consistently.
• The information adds to our knowledge about the effectiveness of procedures and how to avoid and overcome problems that may arise in practice.

Return Home

About CCBS	Membership	Links	Store	Behavior Analysis	Computer Modeling of Behavior
Aging Gracefully	Autism	Behavioral Safety	Book Reviews	Commentaries	Education
Everyday Life	Parenting	Organizational Behavior Management	Pets & Animals	Verbal Behavior	Virtual Community

Copyright ©1997-2008 by the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies.
All rights reserved.

Feedback or questions about the
Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies or our website?
Contact our webmaster, Rebekah Pavlik or
our Executive Director, Dr. Dwight Harshbarger.

The Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies Publication Office
is located at the following address:
336 Baker Avenue
Concord, Massachusetts U.S.A. 01742-2107

Telephone: (978) 369-CCBS (2227)
Facsimile: (978) 369-8584

Visit other sites through the Behavior Analysis Webring:
[ Previous 5 Sites | Previous | Next | Next 5 Sites | Random Site | List Sites ]