What Is ABA Therapy?

BCBA and client learning with ABA therapy materials at a desk

ABA therapy is an applied science in understanding that behavior happens as a result of one's past experiences and environment. ABA uses principles of learning and motivation to effectively teach a variety of skills. It focuses on the understanding that the consequences of what we do affects what we learn and what we will likely do in the future. Therefore, if we, as caregivers, strategically alter the environment and our response to target behaviors we can more easily teach, elicit, and reinforce appropriate behaviors.

Over the past 40 years, several thousand published research studies have documented the effectiveness of ABA therapy across a wide range of populations, settings, and behaviors.

Behavior Analysis Therapy is beneficial for treating:
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Developmental Delays
  • Down Syndrome
  • Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Intellectual Disabilities

“A failure is not always a mistake, it may simply be the best one can do under the circumstances. The real mistake is to stop trying.”

– B.F. Skinner