Applied Behavior Analysis

Description and Theoretical Assumptions

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is the systematic application of basic behavioral principles to the solving of individual and societal problems. ABA has emerged as a preeminent perspective in the treatment of childhood disorders and disabilities, particularly problems associated with severely challenging behavior and significant skill deficits. It is a scientific school of thought rather than a specific method. Children come to professional attention because of a social judgment: Their behavior does not conform to certain adult expectations. From the ABA perspective, intervention requires modification of the social and ecological influences that define as well as regulate the child's behavior.

Behavior means anything an individual can do, including thinking and feeling, as long as these can be directly observed. Because ...