3 of the Biggest ABA Therapy Benefits
For children and adults who are on the autism spectrum, ABA therapy benefits can make a big difference in their quality of life, particularly when it comes to independence and the ability to engage in decisions over their care.
So, what is ABA therapy all about? Below, we’re delving into the basics of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), including some of the key benefits that it can provide for those with an autism diagnosis.
What is ABA Therapy?
Before we can get into its benefits, we need to answer the question of “what is ABA therapy?” and, more specifically, what are the essential features that make it so effective for children and adults on the autism spectrum?
ABA therapy for autism was first developed in the 1970s at the University of California-Los Angeles by psychologists Ivar Lovaas and Robert Koegel. It has its roots in positive reinforcement therapy, which is the idea that you can perpetuate certain behaviors by rewarding them when they occur. When applied to those with autism, this can help decrease the preponderance of behavioral problems and replace them with more appropriate, more beneficial skills.
Of course, it’s not as simple as just praising an individual for behaving in a certain way. ABA therapy includes many techniques that have been optimized for use with those with autism, and each patient is provided with a very individual course of therapy to meet their unique needs. At its heart, ABA therapy is about meeting each individual where they’re at in terms of what their behaviors are, how their behaviors are impacted by the environment around them, and how they learn best—and from there, applying all of those lessons toward achievable goals.
What Does ABA Therapy Do?
There are so many great benefits to ABA therapy, and all of them can help an individual with autism achieve a more independent lifestyle. Here are three of the big ones:
1. It helps increase communication skills
ABA works to improve communication in various ways, including through receptive techniques (following instructions) and echoic techniques (imitating sounds that are heard). It also assists with labeling objects and their distinct features, and learning to make verbal requests. All of these skills work together to make an individual better able to communicate their needs and engage in more productive social interactions.
2. It helps improve attention and focus
ABA therapy employs techniques that can help break down complex behaviors into their most basic elements and provide individuals with more awareness over what they do and why. By tackling the reasons behind inattention and lack of focus—and rewarding attention and focus when they occur—ABA therapy helps reinforce positive behaviors and provides tools that can be used to address problems before they proliferate.
3. It helps with memory and academics
Everyone has their own special learning style, and that includes individuals on the autism spectrum. ABA therapy taps into these unique learning styles and adapts lessons around them—instead of the other way around. ABA therapy examples that can help achieve this include memory games, sensory enrichment, and tools for planning and organization. These techniques help strengthen memory, and in turn, academic performance.
Want to Learn More?
Autism Specialty Group is one of Miami’s leading behavioral health organizations treating children with autism, and we offer a range of services that includes ABA therapy in school, at home, or anywhere else that your child can benefit. We also offer caregiver training to assist the loved ones of individuals with autism in providing their child with the right tools at home for expressing their needs and continuing the lessons they learn in therapy.
Please visit our About page for more information about our organization, and contact us today if you have more questions or would like to schedule a consultation.