Applied Behavior Analysis Essay -- Autism Autistic Disorders Essays

Applied Behavior Analysis What is Autism? Autism is a neurological disorder delaying overall development and functioning. Children with autism generally experience prominent delays in the development of language, non-verbal communication, cognitive abilities, adaptive functioning, and social interaction. Children with autism often exhibit self stimulatory behavior such as spinning, rocking, hand flapping, or other peculiar motor behaviors. Autistic children can also be characterized by repetitive behavior and obsession with routine. Wide ranges of severity exist among those affected, for example, communication development can be displayed through complex language acquisition or the child may demonstrate no form of communication at all. A Parent's Perspective If you receive a diagnosis of Autism for your child, it can be devastating. Finding the appropriate help for your child can prove to be a painstaking endeavor. It is common for parents to receive conflicting, and/or erroneous information about the treatment of Autism from various professionals. The purpose of this pamphlet is to explain a mode of treatment known as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and its potential effectiveness. What is ABA? ABA is a comprehensive behavior program incorporating all aspects of a child's life. It is characterized by a systematic teaching program. Every learning objective is broken down into the simplest form and taught to the child in a one-to-one (child/teacher) format. As skills are developed, complexity is added and generalization into all parts of the child's life is expected. The primary teaching method is known as discrete trial teaching. Discrete trial teaching occurs in a highly structured environ... ... 28 Nov. 2001. Connecticut Families for Effective Autism Treatment. 7 Feb. 2002 <http://www.ctfeat.org/daversabafinal.htm > Saffran, R. â€Å"What is ABA?†, Jul. 1997. ABA Resources for Recovery of Autism/PDD/Hyperlexia. 7 Feb. 2002 <http://members.tripod.com/Rsaffran/whatisaba.html> Leaf, Ron, McEachin, John, Editors. A Work in Progress: Behavior Management Strategies and a Curriculum for Intensive Behavioral Treatment of Autism. New York: DRL Books, 1999. "Early Behavior Intervention for Autism: What Does Reserach Tell Us?" by Green, G. as found in Behavior Intervention for Young Children with Autism, edited by C. Maurice, G. Green, S. Luce "Roll Call of Recovered Kids", <http://home.san.rr.com/autismnet/rollcall.html> provided through The Autism Network Resources for Physicians website, 2000-20001.<http://home.san.rr.com/autismnet/>