Approaches and Strategies in Applied Behavior Analysis for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

The main goal of applied behaviour analysis is to increase behaviours that are positive and helpful and decrease behaviours that affect learning negatively or are harmful. Behaviour analysis has been studied and used for decades and it has been shown that its methods can help many kinds of learners gain different skills. Therapists have been using applied behaviour analysis to help children with autism spectrum disorder and other related developmental disorders for a long time. Applied behaviour analysis can be adapted to meet the needs of each child and also be provided in different environments like school, home, and community. It can involve one-to-one teaching or group instruction and is effective at teaching skills useful in everyday life. In this paper, firstly approaches and strategies used to implement applied behaviour analysis on children with autism spectrum disorder are presented. Then, challenges related to these and emerging opportunities and software applications serving for applied behaviour analysis are reviewed. Finally, future research directions are presented.

Keywords

• autism spectrum disorder
• applied behaviour analysis
• software applications