What Are the Effects of Applied Behavior Analysis on Autism?

Applied Behavior Analysis (Applied Behavior Analysis) is the first application of the treatment of autistic children by Professor Lowas in the United States. It is to decompose target tasks (that is, teaching knowledge, skills, behaviors, habits, etc.) into one in a certain way and order. A series of smaller or relatively independent steps, and then use appropriate reinforcement methods to gradually train each small step in the order determined by the task decomposition until the child has mastered all the steps, and can finally complete the task independently, and in other situations Apply their knowledge and skills.

Chinese name: Applied Behavior Analysis

Foreign name: Applied Behavior Analysis
Applied discipline: psychology

Applying Behavioral Analysis Concepts

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA for short), also known as "behavior training method", "behavior change technology" and so on. "Behavior analysis" is a science that studies behaviors, behavior changes, and influencing factors. "Applied behavior analysis" is the science that applies the results of behavior analysis to understand the functional relationship between behavior and the environment.

Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA for short) is to decompose the target task (that is, the knowledge, skills, behaviors, habits, etc. of teaching) into a series of smaller or relatively independent steps in a certain manner and order, and then Appropriate reinforcement methods are used to gradually train each small step in the order determined by the task decomposition until the child has mastered all the steps, and can finally complete the task independently, and can apply the knowledge and skills learned in other occasions.

Origin of Applied Behavior Analysis

In 1962, Professor Lvar Lovaas of the Department of Psychology, UCLA University in the United States, took the lead in using ABA in the early training of autistic children in the world. The research report of his and his experimental group has attracted worldwide attention. Studies have shown that the use of ABA method for intervention training of young autistic eloquence can effectively improve their symptoms and improve the social effectiveness of autistic children, thereby laying a foundation for their healthy development of learning ability and intellectual potential.

From 1962 to the present, not only has Professor Lovas and his colleagues been following up on the research project, but it has also formed a large number of researchers and workers in the field of special education around the world. There are professional and graduate subjects of ABA in some universities in the United States. Many special education institutions require teachers of students with developmental disabilities to use ABA as their basic skills, which makes ABA as an applied discipline in method system and clinical practice. Great development.

Hearings and court decisions related to the analysis of applied behaviors related to US law from 1998 to 2004 showed that ABA has been identified as the most effective intervention strategy in autism education. By the American Association of Pediatric Physicians, the American Psychological Association, the National Research Council, autism association group organizations and other broad academic units.

Applied Behavior Analysis Fundamentals

1. The principle of behavior change, which can change human behavior by changing external incentives (stimuli). That is, human behavior can be changed, and it is also plastic.

2. Stimulation-response theory: Including reactive conditioned reflex theory, in behavior training (learning), the method of intensifying stimulation will produce conditioned reflex. If the child responds correctly to the teacher's request, the teacher immediately strengthens it. In this way, the child is more likely to respond correctly.

3. Operational conditioning theory, a person's behavior is not simply a stimulus response, often the behavior is based on the response of others, and whether to strengthen him to develop this behavior. If the child responds correctly, teachers and parents should give verbal praise or exaggerated expressions. The more exaggerated the praises and expressions, the greater the strengthening of the child.

Applied Behavior Analysis Common Techniques

Applied Behavior Analysis Shaping

Shaping is a method of behavior change. It is the progressive establishment of new behaviors by strengthening an approximately successful response. That is, through continuous and gradual strengthening, the individual's behavior is modified so that his behavior gradually approaches the set goal.

ABA is the decomposition of behavior into small parts, that is, when teaching small units of behavior, in teaching, you can strengthen the approximate response to "shape" the child to approach and eventually complete the desired behavior (target behavior). Therefore, one is strengthened The behavior should be closer to the standard of expected behavior than the previous behavior. This technology can increase the chances of a child to gain reinforcement and make them feel fulfilled. When using this technology, we should pay attention to grasping the shaping principles of "rewarding rewards but not rewarding rewards" and "rewarding rewards but not rewarding poorly".

The situations that often require the use of shaping methods are: body movements (reinforce children's movements to make these movements closer to the correct movements); language skills (reinforcement of children's gradual improvement of vocalization); writing and drawing ( Emphasize as your child draws letters closer to the card).

Applying Behavioral Analysis Tips

Prompts, also called assists, are additional cues to enhance the success of obtaining a new behavior. An additional stimulus, which is used to consciously trigger the correct response (expected response), thereby helping the child to establish a link between the instruction and the correct response, to ensure the correctness of the child's behavior, and to achieve the purpose of reinforcement . Prompting can speed up the child's learning process, and it can also reduce the frustrations that children suffer in learning.

Tips can be divided into the following categories: physical prompts --- help the child complete the correct response by touching the body of the child, including complete and partial physical assistance. Demonstration of Actions --- Help the child understand and complete the actions through demonstration instructions. Gesture hints --- Use gestures (pointing, gestures) to help children make correct responses. Prompt for position --- Place the stimulus in a position where the child can easily give a response. Language tips --- Use language supplements to describe the instructions to indicate the correct response the child should have; give (all or part of) the correct answers in the language stimulus. Visual cue --- remind the child with pictures or objects.

When using reminders, you should pay full attention to the prompt time to help children build confidence, interest and experience a sense of accomplishment. Secondly, it is suggested to use it in combination with fortifications. After prompting the children to make a correct response, they should be strengthened in time.

Application behavior analysis fades out and levels of prompting

Regression is the process of gradual withdrawal of a prompt. The level of prompting should follow the order from the largest intervention to the smallest intervention. Such as: the prompt should be from the holistic prompt, half-body prompt, action demonstration gradually reduce the intensity of the prompt, until the child can complete the target behavior independently. For example: After the child completes the "touch" behavior using the physical prompt, the next round tries to use a gesture prompt (pointing to the correct object), and the next round tries to use only the first syllable to remind the child to still imitate Say the name of the object. Properly extending the "waiting" time is also a gradual retreat of the reminder. After the child has been able to complete the target behavior under a reminder, he can try in the next round. If the child does not respond immediately to the instruction, Properly extend the waiting time given by the reminder, but note that the waiting time cannot exceed five seconds, and prevent the child from reacting incorrectly.

Gradually revoke prompts in teaching until the child can complete them independently without prompting. But remember to slowly disappear the prompt. Before a level of prompt disappears or weakens, the child should be able to successfully complete several consecutive rounds under this prompt condition. If the child is unable to complete the correct response after the prompt is reduced, return to the previous level. That is, after you have determined that a reduced or weakened prompt is definitely not working, use a (higher) prompt that is sure to make your child respond correctly.

ABA teaching is based on the disappearance of prompts, and requires children to gradually and independently complete the desired target behavior. In order to avoid children's dependence on prompts, it is necessary to think about the disappearance of the prompts when the prompts are given for the first time, that is to say, when the first prompts are given, the level of the fade-out of the prompts should be designed.

Inadvertent prompting should be prevented in teaching, because inadvertent prompting is generally not easy to fade away, and it will also mislead teachers to make a correct judgment of the child's learning situation. For example: with inadvertent prompting, the child's performance seems to be better. Some children with autism will pay more attention to irrelevant clues with inadvertent prompting. Common inadvertent tips in teaching are: supervision, posture, position, alternate instructions, expressions, teachers respond quickly when children respond correctly, and teachers respond slowly when children respond incorrectly.

By giving prompts, children can understand (language) instructions, ensure that children respond correctly, establish awareness that they must respond to instructions, and enable teaching to continue.

Application Behavior Analysis Implementation Steps

The core of ABA is Decomposition Trial Teaching (DTT), a specific training technique, which has the following characteristics: (1) Divide each skill to be taught into small steps, and then practice step by step; (2) Intensive teaching, training each step repeatedly; (3) Use tips to help children make the correct response; 4. Use reinforcements and reinforcement methods. ^[1]

1. Goal decomposition. The specific process is composed of three steps: (1) sending instructions or requirements to the child; (2) prompting the child to respond or respond to the instructions or requirements; (3) the result (intensified response or prompting to the child). After these three steps of an operation are completed, a little pause is given before the next instruction (starting a new operation). Your child must learn the first step of each skill before they can start learning the second step. For example, to teach children to learn to wash their hands, there are the following steps: 1), turn on the faucet; 2), wet your hands; 3), take soap; 4), apply soap; 5), put the soap back in place; 6) Washing hands; 7) Washing the back of the left hand; 8) Washing the back of the right hand; 9) Washing the hand in water; 10) Washing the hand; 11) Washing the back of the left hand; 12) Washing the back of the right hand; 13), Turn off the faucet. The above decomposition includes all the actions of washing hands. ABA divides each skill into small steps to practice, which is to make it easier for children to succeed in learning, and try to reduce their frustration during the learning process.

2. Use hint help. In order for children with autism to respond (correctly) to instructions, they must use prompt help (this includes hand-practice exercises, language prompts, gestures, and operation demonstrations), give them multiple opportunities to react on their own, and be strengthened many times . For example, when teaching a child to learn to complete two-step instructions (clapping hands, patting the table), the child is likely to only heed the first motion instruction or the latter instruction, so after giving the instruction, immediately demonstrate or show the hand- Ask him to complete the first action instruction first, and then complete the second action instruction. With such a prompt, children may respond correctly to instructions. As long as he can complete the instructions (even after the prompt), he must strengthen his correct response. If the response is not correct or cannot be completed accurately, give demonstrations and help tips, and promote children to success through repeated exercises, and then gradually reduce the prompts to children until the child can respond correctly without prompting.

3. Strengthen. ABA emphasizes that any change in behavior is related to its own results. If a child calls "Mom", the mother immediately smiles at him and hugs him, so the child may call her more. Mother's attitude towards children reinforces children's behavior. The purpose of reinforcement is to make children more willing to cooperate and to make the desired behavior happen more often. When starting to train children with autism, they can often only use primary fortifiers, which include food and beverages. When using the primary fortification method (giving food and beverages), they must also use praise. They can gradually guide children to accept secondary Strengthening means-such as praise, appreciation, hugs, etc. When teaching children harder skills, use the best reinforcements (most children want). The reinforcement can be placed in a place where the child can see it, and it is good to let him explicitly follow the instructions. But don't say "if you are obedient and point out that it is a park, give you sugar". This seems to be a bargain. It is best to get the child to strengthen your experience by completing the response that he should have, and let him accept your operation. When using praise, in addition to saying "good" and "awesome", you should also clearly indicate what behavior you reinforce and praise. For example, when a child is trained in the understanding of nouns, the instruction is "give me the train", and the child really gives the train to you. As a result (reinforcement), you can say: "Good, give the train to the teacher". It specifies what kind of action response is "good".

4. Practice repeatedly. Because of the use of reinforcements and tips, children are willing to practice repeatedly. Repeated exercises allow children to acquire new skills faster and better. Repeated exercises are especially important for children to master skills. In the United States, ABA teachers generally give children 10 opportunities (including with or without prompts) to practice new skills. This way, you can know every day what percentage of responses are correct and what percentage are wrong. During repeated practice, you should look for various materials and examples to generalize the skills learned by children. In addition, you can increase children's interest, such as "fruit classification", you can put different fruits or their pictures Put them together and guide them to find apples, watermelons, etc.

ABA Advantages of applying behavioral analysis ABA

1. This method breaks down the complex behaviors of all individuals into small unit behaviors, that is, simple behaviors, teaches small unit behaviors through turn-based teaching methods, and then slowly restores complex behaviors through training. For example, the complex self-care behaviors such as washing hands and buckles are trained through this program.

2. Individualization is obvious. When applied behavioral analysis is used, children with different degrees of autism have different levels from which unit they will teach, and from which point they will start.

3. Teaching functional lessons. That is to say, in the choice of courses, the socially important behaviors of the children are selected.

4. Positive intervention methods. Emphasize more correct behaviors in teaching rather than correct errors. Therefore, in the training process, try not to let the child have the opportunity to make mistakes, which may be achieved by promptly giving tips.