Is ABA Therapy Still Useful for Adults with Autism?

Applied behavior analysis (ABA therapy) is considered to be the leading treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It’s a very proven and effective early intervention treatment that helps children gain social, communication and daily life skills, while also helping them to modify negative and/or harmful behaviors.

ABA therapy is quite intensive, requiring as many as 25 hours or more per week of treatment over a long period of time. When done consistently, ABA therapy can help children build the skills necessary to do things such as attend regular school, get and hold a steady job, and live an overall happy, healthy and fulfilling life, as independently as possible.

While ABA therapy is typically considered an early intervention treatment, it can still be very useful for adults with autism. In this article, we’ll discuss how the tried-and-true treatment can help support adults on the autism spectrum.

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Is ABA Therapy for Adults with Autism Different?

ABA therapy always takes the same approach and is rooted in the same principles regardless of the age and developmental abilities of the patient. The treatment is extremely flexible and is personalized to each individual’s unique strengths, challenges and preferences.

Because of this, the foundation of ABA therapy is exactly the same for adults with autism as it is for children.

Treatment plans will still start with an initial evaluation, the creation of a personalized plan with stated goals, one-on-one sessions where therapists will administer the treatment and collect a wealth of data, and further data analysis to ensure the therapy is working or whether it needs to be adjusted.

The actual ways in which ABA therapy is administered will likely be adjusted for adults with autism to target certain skills and behaviors based on where they are in life.

ABA therapy for children on the autism spectrum is typically play-based, emphasizing reaching certain developmental milestones such as talking, building fine motor skills and integrating into a traditional classroom environment.

ABA therapy for adults with autism, by contrast, is often task-oriented.

Regardless of whether adults with ASD have had ABA therapy in the past or not, it can still prove extremely useful for helping them thrive.

What Are Some of the Focuses of ABA Therapy for Adults?

A major focus of adult ABA therapy is on building practical life and daily living skills so they can be more independent. It also commonly includes building and improving social interaction skills so they can establish and maintain meaningful relationships, as well as vocational training so they can build a career.

The task-based nature of ABA therapy for adults will guide how the therapy is administered.

For example, if a goal is to improve social skills, sessions might focus on how the patient can initiate conversations with others. Just like ABA therapy for children, this skill would be broken down into smaller, more manageable steps, which then creates a structure that is easier for them to understand and master.

The treatment plan will also likely include a lot of role-playing activities, which can help adults with ASD practice the different skills they are trying to learn in a very controlled way. This can remove a lot of fear of failure, so they can refine their skills before applying them in real-world settings.

In fact, ABA therapy for adults might even include practice in real-world settings, such as going to a volunteer activity or social event. This is a way in which therapists can help their patients generalize the skills they are learning during therapy sessions.

The skills that adults with autism can learn in ABA therapy can prove extremely useful for them in various life settings. This includes learning how to effectively communicate with others, how to establish and maintain meaningful relationships, and how to do daily life activities such as cooking, cleaning and being hygienic.

Blue Gems ABA Helps Adults with Autism Live Independently

While the goals and structure of ABA therapy treatment plans often differ for children and adults with autism, the core principles and strategies remain the same. Because of that, ABA therapy can prove very useful for adults with autism.

At Blue Gems ABA, we support adults with autism by administering ABA therapy. We help them live happy, healthy and productive lives, as independently as possible by helping them gain, improve and maintain essential skills.

To learn more, please contact us today.