What is ABA?

ABA stands for Applied Behavioral Analysis

Simply put, ABA therapy is a scientific approach to understanding behavior and how it is affected by the environment.

An ABA therapist looks at specific behaviors a child engages in (i.e. screaming, biting, kicking), understands why and under what circumstances those behaviors occur, and apply ABA principles to teach more appropriate ways of doing something.

Antecedent: Any event in the environment that precedes a behavior.

Behavior: Any action that can be observed or measured.

Consequence: Any event/change in the environment that follows the behavior.

*Understanding the ABC's of Applied Behavior Analysis helps to understand why a behavior is happening and how to apply different consequences to affect behavior reoccurrence.

a. It uses scientific approach used to improve positive social behavior, using principle and methods that are objective and reliable, by replacing inappropriate social behaviors with appropriate and functional skills.

b. It sets principles that focus on changing behaviors, that are affected by the environment and teaching methods.

c. It enhances important social behaviors.

To increase positive social interactions/appropriate social skills.
To teach new social skills, like communication and life skills.
To maintain self-control behaviors that are needed to maintain job and school related social skills.
To generalize or to transfer behavior from one situation or response to another (going from one area of good work to another seamlessly).