Catalyst Behavior Solutions and Catalyst Academy uses Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy to help our clients with autism spectrum disorder. ABA is considered an evidence-based best practice treatment by the US Surgeon General and by the American Psychological Association, meaning it meets specific scientific measurements regarding its efficacy and usefulness.
Catalyst personalizes this method to fit the individual needs of each of our clients, but it is primarily used in the following ways:
- To increase behaviors (reinforcement procedures increase on-task behavior, or social interactions).
- To teach new skills (systematic instruction and reinforcement procedures teach functional life skills, communication skills, or social skills).
- To maintain behaviors (teaching self-control and self-monitoring procedures to maintain and generalize job-related social skills).
- To generalize or to transfer behavior from one situation or response to another (from completing assignments in the resource room to performing as well in the mainstream classroom).
- To restrict or narrow conditions under which problem behaviors occur.
- To reduce problem behaviors (self-injury).
One of the primary strategies that ABA therapy uses is positive reinforcement, which is part of what makes the treatments somewhat variable. We know that children respond to rewards quite differently based on their unique personality and interests. The use of rewards and consequences is a large part of how we learn behaviors and skills as humans. Sometimes this concept just needs to be modified to fit the specific learning needs of those who have ASD. If you find an ABA program that appears to be using the same approach for each child without variation, then it likely will not be effective.
To inquire about our ABA programs including Catalyst Academy, please contact us with any questions you may have or fill out our online intake form here.