Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is the design, implementation, and evaluation of environmental modifications to produce socially significant improvement in social behaviour (Behavior Analyst Certification Board, 2007). ABA uses an experimental approach of manipulating the environment, and tracking alterations in behavior, to understand and manipulate functional relationships between behaviour and environments.
Socially significant behaviours include:
- Academics
- Communication
- Social Skills
- Adaptive living skills (e.g. fine and gross motor skills, food preparation and eating, toileting, dressing, personal self-care, domestic skills, time keeping and punctuality, money, home and community orientation, and work skills)
ABA can be applied to a wide range of situations and difficulties, but it is most applied to individuals with autism and other developmental disorders.