Applied Behaviour Analysis and Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Analysis

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are commonly occurring group of neurodevelopmental conditions and applied behavior analysis (ABA) is used to treat a range of their core symptoms as well as psychopathology and challenging behaviors. Present study is a systematic analysis that synthesizes present literature about use and efficacy of ABA to treat ASD, trends in use of ABA and variables that may affect the treatment. For this 18 studies were selected and analysed it is extracted that as an early childhood intervention ABA is effective treatment of ASD. Its efficacy remains unquestionable even if it is implemented in some later stage of childhood. It is also suggested that ABA improves social, cognitive, language, adaptive and independent living skills as well as functional, cognitive domain and developmental age. Parental training, professional education and individual factors impact efficacy of ABA, however, conclusions regarding intervention's intensity and duration on efficacy of intervention need further research.