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What is ABA therapy?
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy is the only research-based therapy proven to help teach new skills to people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These basic skills have a dramatic effect on an individual's quality of life.
How does ABA work?
ABA therapy works when it's individualized, concentrated, and repeated. ABA is best as 1-on-1 therapy between the client and a certified provider for 20-40 hours per week, depending on client need. Many people with ASD need more practice to master communication and social skills. Skills are practiced constantly throughout the day to ensure progress.
How can ABA help with challenging behaviors?
Challenging behaviors are behaviors that impede a child's success in their everyday life, but often occur due to a lack of communication or play skills. Examples of challenging behaviors include: tantruming. aggression, self-hitting, or throwing things. ABA focuses on finding alternative behaviors that are safer for the client while still allowing them to get their needs met.
What is RFT?
Relational Frame Theory (RFT) is a method of teaching that involves teaching broad relationships between different concepts rather than teaching individual skills one by one, a method more commonly used in ABA. RFT teaches our clients to be active learners in their environments so that they can graduate from one-on-one support and be successful in school or group settings.
How can RFT reduce challenging behaviors?
A common symptom of autism is a rigid adherence to routines and sameness. In our ever-changing lives, change is unavoidable and can be extremely difficult for children with ASD. While RFT builds a client's verbal communication it also focuses heavily on mental flexibility in its curriculum, helping to increase a child's tolerance to change.
The RFT Difference
Traditional ABA works on one individual skill at a time, not allowing learners to catch up to their neurotypical peers. RFT allows for exponential growth in skills and faster client outcomes than traditional ABA.