What is ABA?

ABA methods are used to change behaviour through the use of positive reinforcement. This is used to help people with ASD learn vital life skills.

Behaviour modification applies operant and classical conditioning to modify human behaviour as part of a learning process. To put it simply, by assessing the relationship between a targeted behaviour and the environment, ABA methods are used to change behaviour through the use of positive reinforcement. This is used to help people with ASD learn vital life skills.

Whereas in the USA ABA therapy for people with ASD is a commonplace procedure that is immediately recommended upon diagnosis and is often funded by medical insurance companies, in the UK it is not. As a result, ABA therapy in the UK is very expensive (costing between £40,000.00-£47,000.00 for intensive sessions), and it is often extremely challenging to secure funding through Local Authorities.

 

ABA therapy is the only evidence-based therapy used to help children with ASD reach their full potential. At The Giving Tree Foundation we issue bursaries to fully fund intensive ABA therapy that is delivered by the UK Young Autism Project (UK YAP). Research thus far has demonstrated that children with ASD who receive early intervention in the form of high quality and consistent ABA are able to reach their full potential by the age of 13. Out of these children, 40% reach normal functioning making them indistinguishable from their neuro-typical peers (Hayward, et al. 2009).