Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is a behavior-based intervention that uses learning principles - especially positive reinforcement-to teach skills and reduce behaviors that interfere with learning or daily life.

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How ABA works:
 

• Positive reinforcement: rewarding desired behaviors to increase their likelihood.
   

• A-B-C analysis:

  • Antecedent (what happens before a behavior)​

  • Behavior (the action)

  • Consequence (what happens after)
    This helps identify patterns and teach new skills
     

• Structured teaching methods, such as Discrete Trial Training (DTT), which breaks skills into small steps.

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​ABA is often intensive - many programs involve 20+ hours per week, especially for young children. ABA therapy can happen at home, school, clinics, or community settings. ABA is highly individualized and can be one-on-one or in small groups. Most ABA therapy is covered by private insurance or Medicaid.

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Important to note: 

ABA is NOT a service that school districts are required to provide, and it is not typically offered as a standard in-district program. ABA therapy is NOT always the right fit for every child or every family.

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Is ABA the right therapy for your child?
ABA can be helpful for some children with autism. The best way to know is to look at your child's needs, your values, and how the therapy is actually being delivered - not just the label "ABA".  ABA might be a good fit if your child needs structured teaching to learn communication, daily living, or academic skills. If your child appears stressed, anxious, or exhausted after sessions, then it might not be a good fit. 

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My Recommendation
My perspective on ABA comes directly from my experience as a parent. I tried ABA therapy with my son twice—once when he was very young and again during his teenage years. In both cases, he did not enjoy the therapy; in fact, he strongly disliked it. While I must have seen some potential benefit to try it more than once, I did not feel that ABA meaningfully changed his behavior or improved his day‑to‑day functioning.

What I did find valuable was the insight provided by the BCBA. Their ability to explain why my child might be behaving a certain way, and what environmental or emotional factors could be contributing, was genuinely helpful. I also appreciated that the BCBA was able to observe him in his private school setting. Those observations gave me a clearer understanding of how he was navigating social situations and what challenges he was facing during the school day.

Because of this, my personal recommendation is that ABA can offer useful information for parents—particularly through functional behavior assessments and professional observation—but it is not the right fit for every child. For my son, the insight was helpful, but the therapy itself was not a match for his needs, personality, or comfort.

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