ABA, or Applied Behavioral Analysis, was begun in the 1930s by B.F. Skinner. His research, which involved observing behaviors of people in their natural settings, sparked interest decades later among those working with children on the Autism Spectrum Disorder scale. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends this approach as a means to promote positive interactions and discourage negative behaviors. A child has a good chance for a fruitful and high-quality life if he begins to learn with this method before he turns 5.
Discrete Trial Training
Discrete Trial Training, or DTT, is a program that is begun with children before they reach kindergarten. Florida Atlantic University suggests behavioral analysts use repetitive instructions with the child to achieve the desired result. The analyst works with the child using the same prompts until he has mastered a step. For example, the analyst may ask the child a question, suggesting he point to the corresponding picture. This step is continued until the child solves the problem. The child is then rewarded with a token, such as a sticker, and then moved into the next prompt. This is continued until the child has mastered basic steps and goals; he is then transitioned to another, more advanced, program.
Early Intensive Behavior Intervention
Early Intensive Behavior Intervention, or EIBI, is a program that focuses on the child's individual needs, communication level, social skills, self-soothing abilities and play skills. The Children's Hospital of Michigan Autism Center began using this method in their outpatient preschool program, suggesting that the greatest improvements occur when they are paired with developmental milestones. Instructors teach the children appropriate behaviors and responses, with the steps that nonautistic children take, but mastered on the very basic of levels. For example, the instructor may see a child become angry with another child on the playground and react by pushing the other child and yelling. The instructor would then step in and ask the pushing/yelling child to problem-solve a better, more effective response that does not involve pushing or yelling. Mastery of the problem-solving, judged according to maintaining good behavior and using effective coping skills over a certain period of time, would then be celebrated and rewarded.
Pivotal Response Training
Pivotal Response Training, or PRT, is based on the same foundational principles as DTT and EIBI; however, there are differences in objectives. PRT is geared toward the school-aged child; the focus is less on intervention and prompting and more on supportive frameworks and encouragement. University of California-San Diego's Autism Research Program suggests that the "pivotal" role in this scenario is based on the child's ability to navigate real-life situations by picking up on facial and verbal cues, responding appropriately to others and managing her own behaviors without adult prompting. For example, the school-aged child would ideally have a foundation of prompting and response under the other approaches to behavior, and would respond with problem-solving and use of coping skills acquired over the years. In the event intervention comes with the introduction to school, the goal would be to reach self-efficacy at this point to be considered completely successful.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Treatment, Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Florida Atlantic University; What is Discrete Trial Training?
- Children's Hospital of Michigan Autism Center; Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention Program
- University of California-San Diego: Autism Research Program; Pivotal Response Training
