Applied Behavior Analysis: Early Behavioral Intervention for Children

PRINCIPLES OF ABA Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a data-based process of systematically applying interventions based on the principles of behaviorism to improve socially significant behaviors. Behaviorism is a learning perspective and a philosophy of psychology based on the idea that all which we do, including our thoughts, feelings, and actions, are regarded as behaviors. ABA methods demonstrate via data collection procedures that the interventions employed are responsible for the improvement in specific behaviors. The approach is objective and measurable and research shows that ABA interventions result in positive behavioral changes. Early intensive behavioral intervention using ABA has received the greatest scientific scrutiny of all the intervention choices for autism and has become a treatment of choice for many parents and professionals (Jacobson, 2000).