CCBS: Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for Autism treatment and Early Behavioral Intervention

<p>This section features information on Applied Behavior Analysis as it applies to autism treatment. The ABA method for autism intervention, which often uses a discrete trials training procedure, is the best example of intensive early behavioral intervention for autism, pervasive developmental disorders, and autism spectrum disorders. </p> <p>Some of the most effective behavioral treatment programs make use of B.F. Skinner's analysis of Verbal Behavior, as it has been applied to teaching language to autistic and developmentally delayed individuals.</p> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <title>Autism: Introduction</title> <title>Autism Section of the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies</title> <title>Applied Behavior Analysis</title> <mega http-equiv="keywords" content=" ABA autism, autism treatment, applied behavior analysis, behavior analysis, early behavioral intervention, pervasive developmental disorder, early intervention autism, autism development, autism assessment, autistic behavior, autism intervention, discrete trial training, intensive behavioral training programs, Kanner's Syndrome, Rett's Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Asperger's Disorder, autism training programs, autism language"> <meta http-equiv="description" content="Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is the most comprehensive and most effective approach to improving the lives of persons with autism and their families. The Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies web site features a section on the behavioral treatment of autism. "> <link rel="STYLESHEET" type="text/css" href="../style/content_style.css"> <META http-equiv="keywords" content="autism,Applied Behavior Analysis,Cambridge Center"> <script src="..\script\N4&framecontext.js"></script> <style> #jacobsonVideos { margin: 1em 1em 1em 1em; width:200px; border: medium inset blue; text-align: center; background-color: #ffcc66; padding: 10px; font-family:arial; font-size: 11px; color:#660000; line-height: 180%; float: right; } </style> </head> <body> <div id="sectionTitle"><span id="titleText">Autism and ABA</span> <img id="titleLogo" src="../includes/images/sidebar_autism.jpg" width="55" height="55" alt="" border="0"></div> <div id="wholePage"> <h1>Introduction to the CCBS Autism Section</h1> <div class="firstPara"><span class="dropcap">W</span>elcome to the Autism Section of the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies!</div> <p id="jacobsonVideos"> John Jacobson, Ph.D. was a tireless advocate for the ABA approach to autism treatment, and we are proud to say he was a member of the Cambridge Center's Autism Advisory Group. He recorded a series of short video clips for the University of Massachusetts Medical School on several topics relevant to this section. Those are just a small part of John's legacy, which we honor. We are grateful to Rick Fleming and the UMass Medical School for their permission to post those clips here as streaming video.<br><br>    <a href="http://www.behavior.org/autism/parentalActivism_video_home.cfm">Segment 1: "Parental Activism"</a><br>    <a href="http://www.behavior.org/behavior/jacobson_video_home.cfm">Segment 2: "What is ABA?"</a><br>    <a href="http://www.behavior.org/autism/earlyIntervention_video_home.cfm">Segment 3: "Early Intervention"</a> </p> <p class="pageContent">In this Section, you will find scientifically validated information about the causes of autism, and the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) approach to treating it. The content of this Section is carefully refereed by an Advisory Board comprising the leaders in ABA and Autism.</p> <ul> <li><a href="autism_about_section.cfm">About This Section</a></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_aims.cfm">The aims of this section </a></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_intended_audience.cfm">The intended audience for this section </a></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_advisory_group.cfm">The Advisory Board</a> </li> <li><a href="autism_about_autism.cfm">About Autism</a></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_causes.cfm">Causes of Autism </a></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_diagnosis.cfm">What does the diagnosis "Autism" mean? </a></li> <li><a href="autism_ABA_autism.cfm">Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Autism</a></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_green.cfm">Applied Behavior Analysis for Autism</a> by Gina Green</li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_ABA_FAQ.cfm">Frequently Asked Questions about ABA</a> </li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_select_ba.cfm">Guidelines for Selecting Behavior Analysts </a></li>  <li class="innerlist"><a href="ABAAutismSIG_Gdlns_2007.pdf">The Autism SIG of ABA's Guidelines for Consumers</a> (PDF)</li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_evaluate_programs.cfm">Evaluating Intervention Programs</a> by Jay Birnbrauer</li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_rights_of_clients.cfm">Rights of Clients</a> </li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="functionalassessmentpaper7.pdf">Functional Assessment</a> by Marcie Desrochers <em>et al</em>. [PDF]</li> <li>CCBS Autism Articles</li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_ahearn_vaccines.cfm">Do vaccines cause autism?: A review of some recent evidence</a> by William H. Ahearn</li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="ahearn.cfm">Is Eliminating Casein and Gluten From a Child's Diet a Viable Treatment for Autism?</a> by William H. Ahearn</li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="catherine_maurice.pdf">ABA and us: One parent's reflections on partnership and persuasion</a> by Catherine Maurice [PDF]</li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="Niemann.cfm">The Neurodevelopment of Autism: Recent Advances</a> by George Niemann</li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_smith.cfm">Intensive and early<br>behavioral intervention with autism: The UCLA Young Autism Project</a> by T. Smith and O.I. Lovaas</li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_ramey.cfm">Early intervention and early experience</a> by C.T. Ramey, and S. Landesman Ramey</li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_6principles.cfm">Six Principles of Effective Early Intervention</a> by Jay Birnbrauer</li> <li><a href="autism_commentaries.cfm">CCBS Autism Commentaries</a></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_comm_allthings.cfm">All Things Considered... Except Results! </a></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_comm_NYSDOH.cfm">NYSDOH Early Intervention Review Available</a> </li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_costbenefit.cfm">EIBI Saves Up To $2,500,000! </a></li> <li><a href="autism_links.cfm">Links to Autism Sites</a></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger">O.A.S.I.S (Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support)</a><span class="asterisk">* </span></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="http://www.wmich.edu/aba">Association for Behavior Analysis </a><span class="asterisk">* </span></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="http://www.asatonline.org">Association for Science in Autism Treatment</a><span class="asterisk">* </span></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="http://www.autism-biomed.org/">Autism Biomedical Information Network</a><span class="asterisk">* </span></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="http://www.autism-info.com">Autism Resources by Location</a><span class="asterisk">* </span></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="http://www.njautism.org/">COSAC (The New Jersey Center for Outreach & Services for the Autism Community Inc)</a><span class="asterisk">* </span></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/disorders/autismshortdoc.htm">NINDS Fact Sheet on Autism</a></li> <li><a href="autism_links.cfm#secondtitle">Links to News and Information on Other Sites</li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_vancomycin.cfm">Autism Study Sparks Concern (AP)</a><span class="asterisk">* </span></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="http://www.bacb.com">Behavior Analyst Certification Board®</a><span class="asterisk">* </span></li> <li class="innerlist"><A href="http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/eip/menu.htm">New York State Clinical Guidelines</a><span class="asterisk">* </span></li> <li class="innerlist"><A href="http://aamr.org/Groups/div/PS/flyer1.htm">Behavioral Consultants: Who Are They and How Do I Find the Right One? (American Association on Mental Retardation)</a><span class="asterisk">* </span></li> <li class="innerlist"><A href="http://www.iom.edu/IOM/IOMHome.nsf/Pages/MMR+Autism+Summary">Immunization Safety Review: Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine and Autism (The National Academies Institute of Medicine)</a><span class="asterisk">* </span></li> <li class="innerlist"><A href="http://abcnews.go.com/sections/nightline/DailyNews/nl_010309_autism_main.html">ABC News "Nightline" Report on Early Intensive ABA for Autism</a><span class="asterisk">* </span></li> <li class="innerlist"><A href="http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/mentalhealth/chapter3/sec6.html#autism">The United States Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health Autism Section </a><span class="asterisk">* </span></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_riggott.cfm">Mind Games, by Julie Riggott</a></li> <li><a href="autism_resources.cfm#articles">For More Information</a></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_resources.cfm#articles">Articles, Books, Training Materials</a></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_references.cfm">Bibliography</a></li> <li class="innerlist"><a href="autism_links.cfm">Links</a></li> </ul> <hr> <span class="asterisk">* </span><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:sans-serif">Denotes that the web page is from a site other than behavior.org.<br> [PDF] or <IMG height=32 alt ="The PDF icon means that this file requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing" src="../images/pdficon.gif" width=29 > Denotes that the page requires the Adobe<sup>®</sup> Acrobat<sup>®</sup> Reader for viewing. <br> <a href="../adobe.cfm">For more information on Adobe Acrobat Reader</a>.</span> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <link rel="STYLESHEET" type="text/css" href="../style/content_style.css"> </head> <body> <P align=center><FONT face=Arial color=#0000cc><font face="Arial" size=-1 color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../index.cfm" target="main">Return Home</a></font></P> <center> <DIV> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tr align="middle"> <td height="25" width="20%"> <P align=center><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../ccbs/ccbs_welcome.cfm" target=_top><small><small>About CCBS</small></small></A><br></P></STRONG></FONT></td> <td width="15%"> <P align=center><A href="../ccbs/ccbs_membership_info.cfm" target=_top><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><small><small>Membership</small></small></strong></font></A></P></td> <td width="15%"> <P align=center><A href="../links/index.cfm" target=_top><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><small><small>Links</small></small></strong></font></A></P></td> <td width="13%"> <P align=center><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="http://store.behavior.org/" target=main><small><small>Store</small></small></strong></font></A></P></td> <td width="13%"> <P align=center><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../innerframes_builder.cfm?Page=behavior/behavior_analysis.cfm" target=_parent><small><small>Behavior Analysis</small></small></A></strong></font></P></td> <td width="14%"> <P align=center><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../innerframes_builder.cfm?Page=computer-modeling/computer-modeling-home.cfm" target=_parent><small><small>Computer Modeling<br>of Behavior</small></small></A></strong></font></P></td></tr> <FONT color=#0000ff> <P align=center></FONT> <P></P> <P></P> <P></P> <P></P> <tr align="middle"> <td height="30"><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../aging/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small>Aging Gracefully</small></small></A></strong></font></td> <td><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../autism/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small>Autism</small></small></A></strong></font></td> <td><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../safety/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small>Behavioral Safety</small></small></A><br></strong></font></td> <td><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../reviews/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small>Book Reviews</small></small></A><br></strong></font></td> <td><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../columns/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small>Commentaries</small></small></A><br></strong></font></td> <td><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../education/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small>Education</small></small></A><br></strong></font></td> </tr> <P></P> <tr align="middle"> <td height="30"><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../life/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small>Everyday Life</small></small></A><br> </strong></font></td> <td><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../parenting/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small>Parenting</small></small></A><br> </strong></font></td> <td><A href="../performanceMgmt/index.cfm" target=_top><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><small><small>Organizational Behavior Management</small></small></strong></font></A></td> <td><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../animals/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small>Pets & Animals</small></small></A><br> </strong></font></td> <td><A href="../vb/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong>Verbal Behavior</strong></font></small></small></A></td> <td><A href="../behavior/behavior_analysis_publications_2007.cfm" target=_top><small><small><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong>CCBS Publications</strong></font></small></small></A></td></tr></table></DIV> <p align="center" class="CCBSfootnotes"><strong>Copyright ©1997-2008 by the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. </strong><br>All rights reserved.</p> <p align="center" class="CCBSfootnotes">Feedback or questions about the <br><EM>Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies </EM> or our website? <br> Contact our <A href="mailto:webmaster@behavior.org">webmaster, Rebekah Pavlik</A> or<br> our Executive Director, <A href="mailto:chase@behavior.org">Dr. Philip N. Chase</A>. </FONT></p> <P align="center" class="CCBSfootnotes">The <EM>Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies </EM>Publication Office<br> is located at the following address: <br>336 Baker Avenue<br>Concord, Massachusetts U.S.A. 01742-2107<br><br> Telephone: (978) 369-CCBS (2227)<br>Facsimile: (978) 369-8584</FONT></P> <P align="center" class="CCBSfootnotes">Visit other sites through the <A href="../webring.cfm">Behavior Analysis Webring</A>:<br> [ <a href="http://nav.webring.org/cgi-bin/navcgi?ring=behavanalysis;id=6;prev5">Previous 5 Sites</a> | <a href="http://nav.webring.org/cgi-bin/navcgi?ring=behavanalysis;id=6;prev">Previous</a> | <a href="http://nav.webring.org/cgi-bin/navcgi?ring=behavanalysis;id=6;next">Next</a> | <a href="http://nav.webring.org/cgi-bin/navcgi?ring=behavanalysis;id=6;next5">Next 5 Sites</a> | <a href="http://nav.webring.org/cgi-bin/navcgi?ring=behavanalysis;random">Random Site</a> | <a href="http://nav.webring.org/cgi-bin/navcgi?ring=behavanalysis;list">List Sites</a> ] </P></STRONG></center> </body> </html> </div> </body> </html> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <link rel="STYLESHEET" type="text/css" href="../style/content_style.css"> </head> <body> <P align=center><FONT face=Arial color=#0000cc><font face="Arial" size=-1 color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../index.cfm" target="main">Return Home</a></font></P> <center> <DIV> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tr align="middle"> <td height="25" width="20%"> <P align=center><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../ccbs/ccbs_welcome.cfm" target=_top><small><small>About CCBS</small></small></A><br></P></STRONG></FONT></td> <td width="15%"> <P align=center><A href="../ccbs/ccbs_membership_info.cfm" target=_top><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><small><small>Membership</small></small></strong></font></A></P></td> <td width="15%"> <P align=center><A href="../links/index.cfm" target=_top><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><small><small>Links</small></small></strong></font></A></P></td> <td width="13%"> <P align=center><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="http://store.behavior.org/" target=main><small><small>Store</small></small></strong></font></A></P></td> <td width="13%"> <P align=center><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../innerframes_builder.cfm?Page=behavior/behavior_analysis.cfm" target=_parent><small><small>Behavior Analysis</small></small></A></strong></font></P></td> <td width="14%"> <P align=center><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../innerframes_builder.cfm?Page=computer-modeling/computer-modeling-home.cfm" target=_parent><small><small>Computer Modeling<br>of Behavior</small></small></A></strong></font></P></td></tr> <FONT color=#0000ff> <P align=center></FONT> <P></P> <P></P> <P></P> <P></P> <tr align="middle"> <td height="30"><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../aging/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small>Aging Gracefully</small></small></A></strong></font></td> <td><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../autism/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small>Autism</small></small></A></strong></font></td> <td><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../safety/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small>Behavioral Safety</small></small></A><br></strong></font></td> <td><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../reviews/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small>Book Reviews</small></small></A><br></strong></font></td> <td><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../columns/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small>Commentaries</small></small></A><br></strong></font></td> <td><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../education/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small>Education</small></small></A><br></strong></font></td> </tr> <P></P> <tr align="middle"> <td height="30"><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../life/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small>Everyday Life</small></small></A><br> </strong></font></td> <td><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../parenting/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small>Parenting</small></small></A><br> </strong></font></td> <td><A href="../performanceMgmt/index.cfm" target=_top><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><small><small>Organizational Behavior Management</small></small></strong></font></A></td> <td><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong><A href="../animals/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small>Pets & Animals</small></small></A><br> </strong></font></td> <td><A href="../vb/index.cfm" target=_top><small><small><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong>Verbal Behavior</strong></font></small></small></A></td> <td><A href="../behavior/behavior_analysis_publications_2007.cfm" target=_top><small><small><font face="Arial" color="darkgreen"><strong>CCBS Publications</strong></font></small></small></A></td></tr></table></DIV> <p align="center" class="CCBSfootnotes"><strong>Copyright ©1997-2008 by the Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies. </strong><br>All rights reserved.</p> <p align="center" class="CCBSfootnotes">Feedback or questions about the <br><EM>Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies </EM> or our website? <br> Contact our <A href="mailto:webmaster@behavior.org">webmaster, Rebekah Pavlik</A> or<br> our Executive Director, <A href="mailto:chase@behavior.org">Dr. Philip N. Chase</A>. </FONT></p> <P align="center" class="CCBSfootnotes">The <EM>Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies </EM>Publication Office<br> is located at the following address: <br>336 Baker Avenue<br>Concord, Massachusetts U.S.A. 01742-2107<br><br> Telephone: (978) 369-CCBS (2227)<br>Facsimile: (978) 369-8584</FONT></P> <P align="center" class="CCBSfootnotes">Visit other sites through the <A href="../webring.cfm">Behavior Analysis Webring</A>:<br> [ <a href="http://nav.webring.org/cgi-bin/navcgi?ring=behavanalysis;id=6;prev5">Previous 5 Sites</a> | <a href="http://nav.webring.org/cgi-bin/navcgi?ring=behavanalysis;id=6;prev">Previous</a> | <a href="http://nav.webring.org/cgi-bin/navcgi?ring=behavanalysis;id=6;next">Next</a> | <a href="http://nav.webring.org/cgi-bin/navcgi?ring=behavanalysis;id=6;next5">Next 5 Sites</a> | <a href="http://nav.webring.org/cgi-bin/navcgi?ring=behavanalysis;random">Random Site</a> | <a href="http://nav.webring.org/cgi-bin/navcgi?ring=behavanalysis;list">List Sites</a> ] </P></STRONG></center> </body> </html>