Takes 2 minutes
What is Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA)?
Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is the science from which application of the principles of learning and behaviour are applied to improve socially important and meaningful behaviours. ABA is an autism therapy for children that uses procedures and interventions designed to increase positive behaviours, teach new skills, generalise behaviours to new environments or situations, and address behaviours of concern that may be harmful or interfere with learning and developing social relationships.
One hallmark of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is data collection and analysis to guide clinical decision-making. The effectiveness of Applied Behaviour Analysis programs has been well documented through 50 years of research. Children who participate in autism therapy for children based on the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) have been shown to make substantial and sustained gains in IQ, language, academic performance, and adaptive behaviour, than those of children who have had no treatment, low intensity treatment, or non-ABA treatment.
How Do We Design Your Child’s ABA Program?
Initial clinic:
As the most senior member of your team, your Behaviour Support Specialist (BSS) or assistant BSS reviews all available reports provided by family.
Comprehensive Behavioural Assessment
Developmental assessment(s) are conducted, results collated, report prepared and discussed with family. Parents and Lizard clinicians contribute to this assessment. If your child has already had a developmental or cognitive assessment, please provide a copy of these reports to your local Lizard team during the intake process. It is important that we gather as much information as possible.
First 2 – 3 months:
Short and long-term goals are set by parents in collaboration with your BSS. These goals may draw upon concerns raised by your child’s preschool, school, and discussions you may have had with your NDIS Plan Manager.
Throughout the duration of the autism therapy for children program:
Goals are broken down into teachable components. Procedure sheets are developed and implemented to teach new skills.
Once a new skill is learned, it is generalised across people, places, materials and language.
Data are recorded every session to allow tracking of skill acquisition, learning rate, mastery and generalisation.
Data are analysed by your child’s Therapist and BSS to inform decisions about skill and goal mastery.
During clinic meetings:
Data are reviewed and discussed and mapped against goals set by family and BSS.
Every 6 months:
Progress is comprehensively reassessed and mapped against the developmental assessment with results expressed as a percentage of skills master in each domain. Results compared to previous development assessment testing results.
1. Intake Meeting
2. Initial Consultation
3. Developmental Assessment
4. Ongoing Lizard Program
Applied Behaviour Analysis Programs
Early intervention Autism Therapy for Children
Early intensive behavioural intervention (EIBI) is an evidence-based, comprehensive autism therapy for children and related challenges, on the principles of Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA).
Click below for a more detailed description of Early Intervention:
Does ABA really work?
In Australia, reputable experts have endorsed ABA-based interventions and autism therapy for children. In 2011, Prior, Roberts, Rodger, and Williams published their report titled A Review of Research to Identify the Most Effective Models of Practice in Early Intervention for Children with autism spectrum disorders.
This report was funded by and prepared for the Australian Government of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous affairs (FaCHSIA). Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) was the only intervention to be classified as eligible for funding based on established research evidence:
More recently, Whitehouse et al. (2020) conducted a comprehensive synthesis of the evidence for interventions with autism between the ages of 0-12 years. this research was included in partnership with the Australian Autism Collaborative Research Centre (CRC). Results indicated positive outcomes for behaviour intervention.
Helping Children with Autism (HCWA) package endorsed ABA as the only example of intervention programs for kids with autism that are eligible for funding based on established research evidence.
In addition, the Raising Children Network gives ABA a firm rating of established, noting that research consistently shows positive effects.
Other organisations that endorse Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) as a safe and effective autism therapy for children include:
American Academy of Neurology
American Academy of Family Pediatrics
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Occupational Therapy Association
American Psychological Association
American Speech-Language Hearing Association
Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
Autism Society of America
National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
National Institute of Mental Health
The findings of the current review support the findings of previous reviews. Behaviourally based interventions, and specifically those that are intensive (often referred to as applied behavioural analysis (ABA) or Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention (EIBI)), continue to indicate positive outcomes for some children in a range of areas including cognitive skills, communication, and adaptive behaviour.
Prior, Roberts, Rodger, and Williams
A Review of Research to Identify the Most Effective Models of Practice in Early Intervention for Children with autism spectrum.
Running ABA Programs
Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is public and accountable. Within an ABA program, data are recorded on the child’s level of independence across all skills targeted for increase. Data are reviewed weekly by the Behaviour Support Specialists or Assistant Behaviour Support Specialists. The data allow the clinical team to decide when a skill has been mastered, or to problem solve if a child is having difficulty learning a skill. Autism therapy for children, and ABA programs are highly individualised and dynamic – programs are reviewed on an ongoing basis, together with parental feedback to ensure continued progress.
Contact us for more information
Find out how behaviours of concern can be addressed to give your child a better chance to learn. Get our Parent Info Pack and a free phone consultation to find out the range of options available for your child’s unique situation.
Call us on 1300 752 617
Monday to Friday, 8.30am – 5pm (AEST)