When was ABA Therapy Invented?
Applied behavioral analysis is considered the leading treatment for children who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). More commonly called ABA therapy, this science-based approach to learning and behavior helps children on the autism spectrum gain the communication, social and daily skills with which they often struggle.
There are many benefits that ABA therapy provides, and why it stands out as the leading treatment for individuals with autism. Chief among them is the fact that ABA therapy is personalized to each individual, based on the patient’s particular strengths, weaknesses and needs.
Since autism affects every individual differently, this is an important aspect of ABA therapy.
What’s more, it can be administered in-home or in other environments such as clinical settings, and parents, caregivers and other family members can be integrated into the therapy to reinforce the concepts learned during sessions.
If your child was just recently diagnosed with ASD, or if you’re unfamiliar with autism in general, you may be new to ABA therapy. Below, we explain the origins of ABA therapy and when it was invented.
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When was ABA Therapy Invented?
ABA therapy was originally developed during the 1960s by Ole Ivar Lovaas, who was a clinical psychologist. The Northwegian-American worked for almost 50 years studying different ways that the lives of children on the autism spectrum could be improved, as well as that of their families.
The concept behind ABA therapy is to help individuals with autism adapt some of their behaviors through the use of positive reinforcement. When children exhibit positive behaviors, for example, they are rewarded by getting a toy they like to play with or extra praise.
This positive reinforcement is done in lieu of punishing children for exhibited what are viewed as negative behaviors.
Lovaas’ goal through all his research and analyzation of behavior was to decrease how often children with autism exhibited challenging behaviors and at the same time increase the communication skills that patients had.
Who Was Involved in Developing ABA Therapy?
Lovaas was one of the leaders in developing ABA therapy, but he’s not the sole person who pioneered the treatment. Some others include Lynn and Robert Koegel, Marian DeMyer, Sidney Bijou, Donald Baer, B.F. Skinner and Charles Fester.
Fester and Skinner worked together at Harvard, where they developed what’s known as Errorless Learning1. The form of modifying behaviors was used to teach children on the autism spectrum how to talk.
Baer was a key contributor by publishing works on multiple psychological treatments and issues, such as behavior-analytic theory2 and early childhood interventions.
Bijou advanced ABA therapy to a form that is seen in many modern forms. Instead of punishing children for negative behaviors, he simply ignored those behaviors. This particular technique was something that Lovaas loved and adapted for early versions of ABA therapy — focusing more on positive reinforcement than negative reactions.
Lovaas also worked directly with DeMyer to conduct different behavioral experiments with children with autism, helping to prove that positive reinforcements do indeed encourage positive behavior.
The Koegels developed what is known as Pivotal Response Treatment3 — a strategy that ABA therapy uses. In addition, the two developed many other methods and interventions that help children on the autism spectrum as well as their families.
How ABA Therapy Has Expanded Over the Years
Initially, ABA therapy was meant to help children with ASD improve their communication skills. The main goal was to keep these children from being sent to an institution.
While improving communication skills is still a main goal of ABA therapy, it has expanded greatly. As mentioned before, it’s now used to help meet the unique needs that each individual patient has.
Some early versions of ABA therapy actually included some methods that could be harmful or uncomfortable to patients. This included withholding some basic needs, restricting their access to “stimming” behaviors, forcing them to either mask or eliminate autistic traits and forcing them to establish lengthy eye contact.
These things aren’t used anymore in ABA therapy, thankfully, as it has evolved into a much more positive experience from start to finish. This is why it’s so widely used in autism treatments by multiple facilities throughout the country.
Trust Blue Gems ABA with Your Child’s Treatment
ABA therapy has come a long way since it was first developing in the 1960s. Today, it’s become the leading treatment for individuals with autism for a number of reasons mentioned above.
At Blue Gems ABA, we have a team of dedicated therapists who administer ABA therapy to patients every day. We develop personalized treatment plans for each patient based on their specific needs and challenges.
By doing this, we help to ensure success and growth, helping them to live happy and fulfilling lives.
To learn more, please contact us today.
617-297-7998
617-340-3371
info@bluegemsaba.com
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