What is a behavioral management therapy program? It’s simply a plan for treatment based on applied behavior analysis (APA). Many think of programs like this as behavior therapy for autism, but it can also be used in managing other disorders—such as attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
ABA is simply a scientific approach to understanding behavior. It refers to a set of principles that focus on how behaviors change or are affected by the environment, as well as how learning takes place. Searching for behavioral management therapy programs in Massachusetts or Florida? Contact Journey ABA by calling 844.222.4513 or by reaching out to our team online.
What Is Applied Behavior Analysis?
As mentioned above, ABA is a scientific approach that helps both specialists and clients understand the following:
- How behavior works
- The ways that behavior is affected by the environment
- How learning takes place
ABA therapy, which can come in the form of a behavioral management therapy program, then applies that understanding to real situations. The goal of this type of therapeutic care is to increase behaviors that are helpful and decrease behaviors that are harmful or negatively affect learning.
ABA involves many techniques and is usually a flexible treatment. It can be:
- A way to teach skills that are useful in everyday life
- Adapted to meet the needs of each unique client
- In the form of one-to-one sessions or group activities
- Provided in many different locations—at home, at school, and in the community
Both our Massachusetts and Florida locations provide evidence-based ABA services that can make a difference.
What Is a Behavioral Management Therapy Program?
A behavioral management therapy program can help:
- Improve academic performance, attention, focus, memory, and social skills
- Increase language and communication skills
- Decrease problem behaviors
Because ABA-informed therapy programs are usually flexible, each behavioral management therapy program is customized and therefore unique. However, there’s typically just one overarching goal: to help clients learn positive behaviors while letting go of negative ones.
Therapists have used ABA to help children with autism spectrum disorder and related developmental disorders for decades. Behavioral management treatment for autism has been studied and developed since the 1960s. These days, behavior management therapy programs don’t only help clients with autism but also give their clients’ caregivers suggestions regarding what they can do before, during, after, and between episodes of problem behaviors.
How Does a Behavioral Management Therapy Program Help with Autism?
Behavior therapy for autism is the most-researched intervention for this type of developmental disorder. Behavioral management treatment for autism has been around for more than 50 years. Programs like this are highly structured and use a scientific approach that teaches academic and social living skills, communication, play, and self-care. They can also reduce problematic behaviors. Studies show that these programs improve outcomes for children with autism.
ABA is the usual starting point for children with severe symptoms. Therapists recommend as many as 40 hours a week of therapy. Different types of ABA commonly used to treat autism include:
- Positive behavior support (PBS): PBS aims to find out why a client does a particular problem behavior. It works to change the environment, teach skills, and make adjustments that make a correct behavior more positive for a client.
- Pivotal response training (PRT): PRT often takes place in a client’s everyday environment. Its goal is to improve pivotal skills, such as motivation or taking the initiative to communicate. These help the child to learn many other skills.
- Early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI): EIBI provides individualized, behavioral instruction to clients who are also very young children with autism. It requires a large time commitment.
- Discrete trial teaching (DTT): DTT teaches positive skills in a controlled and step-by-step way. The teacher uses positive feedback to encourage a client.
Ready to Learn More About Journey ABA’s Behavioral Management Therapy Programs?
If you’re looking for applied behavior analysis options in Massachusetts or Florida, contact Journey ABA and ask about our behavioral management therapy programs. Call 844.222.4513 or reach out to our team online.