Applied Behavior Analysis addresses on teaching strategies and behavioral changes. Applied Behavior Analysis practitioners use behavioral coping techniques, such as functional conditioning or traditional practice, to guide a person’s conduct. With routine, the person will change unwanted action or practice with enticing ones. This therapeutic technique started in the 1960s as a broad solution to issue behavior and was not meant to be used as a method to treat people with disabilities.
The application of Applied Behavior Analysis as an early intervention strategy has been adopted to treat people with an autism spectrum disorder. Numerous analysis shows that utilization of applied behavior analysis results in hefty gains for multiple minors with an autism spectrum disorder. These discoveries rest on a school of thinking that suggests that autism spectrum disorder is a condition that results from abnormality or malfunction in the nervous system. Use of Applied Behavior Analysis for individuals with autism spectrum disorder aims different abilities in a particular order, intending to alter conduct to enhance and strengthen transmission and socialization.
If correctly utilized, Applied Behavior Analysis may permit individuals with an autism spectrum disorder to learn the behavioral and psychological proficiencies to join the education system successfully. ABA can also be used to treat conditions like depression, ADHD, OCD, and anxiety. Applied Behavior Analysis is the art of administering what is studied from conduct evaluation to explain the working connection amidst actions and settings. Applied Behavior Analysis follows the fundamental concepts of knowledge and behavioral advancement that spread through diagnostics.
The main concepts following Applied Behavior Analysis are that an individual’s behavior is affected by environmental events or incitements, and conduct that is accompanied by positive results can occur once more.
Case study
This case study is on a three year and eight months old male child. At two and a half years, his parents took him in for treatment of autistic disorders after showing no response to his name when called, having no speech, and not understanding simple instructions. He is an only child, and the mother had him at 31 years. Her pregnancy had no complications, and the child was born via C-section at nine months. His development milestones, such as psychomotor and language, were all normal until the age of one.
The child would only engage with people for only one or two hours out of the 12 he was awake and spent the rest of the time watching television or playing with mobile phones and wandering through the house. The parents became concerned about his verbal skills at one and a half years as they did not progress as expected. The parent did not seek help at the time because their family background had a history of a slight speech delay. At two years, however, his words gradually declined to a few and meaningless voices. He started flapping his hands and would not respond to his name. His symptoms increased over time, and at two and a half years, his parents sought professional assessment.
The child was diagnosed with autism under the criteria DSM-5 after a clinical assessment conducted by a clinical neuropsychologist and a child psychiatrist. He started undergoing ABA therapy five months after his diagnosis. Before this, he was under no medication and had no other medical issues. His symptoms during the assessment included stereotype and repetitive behaviors such as flapping hands, preoccupation with objects, repeated and specific routines with aggression if his needs were not met. Another symptom was limited interaction and communication, such as avoiding eye contact, avoiding social interaction, low tolerance to touch, and little physical activity.
Upon starting the therapy, Applied Behavior Analysis was done six days a week for 3 hours at a time. The sessions focused on developing skills that he lacked, such as maintaining eye contact, social and self-help skills, producing sounds, and recognition development. The sessions would take place at home and a review session at the center once every week. Every four weeks, a new plan was rolled out after determining the child’s progress. The child had 10 ABA programs that focused on four primary areas, sensory-orientation, speech, self-help, and cognition. The first program focused more on cognitive activities. Since he was at a development stage, he was limited in his self-help skills, and therefore, activities in this area were more in the first stage. As his abilities got closer to his chronological age, the activities were reduced. Speech comprised about 20% of the program, and the activities gradually increased as they progressed.
The child showed significant improvements in the rehabilitation and learning goals at the end of the ten months by solely undergoing ABA therapy. The progress was more noticeable in repetitive behavior such as hand flapping and his speech. A few worded sentences replaced meaningless sounds, and his speech gradually became better. His playtime also became more diverse and goal-oriented. Although he still exhibited repetitive patterns, his emotional awareness and responses, interactions with others, acceptance of physical contact and movement, and self-help skills such as eating improved significantly. His parents, especially the mother, were actively involved in the process.
Summary
ABA is a comprehensive approach whose effects are seen in all aspects of the child’s development. From the case study, the child is an example of how ABA therapy improved his speech, interaction, social acceptance, and reduced stereotype behavior and sensory issues, which are the main symptoms of autism. The child was at his development years, and after ten months of engaging in the ABA program, his development improved. The program first focused on the areas the child had no skills or knowledge on them.
The involvement of the parents is important in ensuring the success of the therapy. Most of the sessions took place at home, where the parent conducted the activities. Since they spend most of the time with their child, they ensure that they involve him in communication and interaction to ensure progress and reduce repetitive and aimless activities. Improvements were noted by the parents and would discuss them with the instructor. The instructor would then adjust the program to suit the child’s development progress and focus on the areas of sense-orientation, speech, self-help, and cognition.
Research shows that early intervention measures for autism improve development. Children who start ABA therapy at an early age make significant improvements and is more effective the earlier it begins. A child’s early experiences play a crucial role in their brain development. Receiving this therapy at a young age, therefore, significantly impacts the child’s ability to learn new skills and overcome challenges. Younger children are more likely to acquire new skills faster as their brain grasps new things quickly. The significant improvement from the use of ABA in this case study gives hope to parents and specialists who want to help their children and patients.