Fostering A Positive Environment
Hand Over Hand Behavioral Consultants, LLC. fosters a nurturing environment by understanding the individual needs of the children we serve. We use evidenced based techniques to ensure optimal progress towards therapy goals. Intensive one-on-one therapy has been consistently demonstrated to be the most effective method to help children with neurodevelopmental disorders improve in a number of functional domains. Every member of our professional team has been trained to adapt and modify interventions and goals to fit the need of your child. We view your child as a unique individual with their own set of strengths, and worthy of our best work to ensure they meet their potential.
Why ABA?
Professionals that practice Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) use techniques based on established principles of learning to create behavior change. The goals of ABA are to improve socially significant behaviors to a meaningful degree. In order to accomplish this, Board Certified Behavioral Analysts (BCBA) identify goals that will enable a child to be successful in their environment and employ interventions to help children reach those goals. Interventions used are based on rigorously tested methods to create behavior change and learning. Skills are acquired through the systematic teaching of component behaviors. These techniques ensure that objective learning is occurring. The other thing that makes ABA so effective is the use of data in the analysis of program effectiveness. The BCBA uses data taken during sessions to assess the child’s rate of learning. This not only allows the BCBA to make modifications if necessary, it ensures that decisions are made as a result of actual observed behavior. Weekly assessment of each child’s data safeguards against the use of ineffective techniques and ensures the most effective interventions are used. ABA has been demonstrated to be the most reliable evidenced based therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Evidence Base For ABA
In 2015, the National Standards Project Phase 2, released a comprehensive list of evidenced based treatments for teaching skills and reducing aberrant behavior in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. According to the study, 14 interventions were identified as effective in addressing symptoms related to the core deficits observed in individuals with ASD. All 14 of the interventions were based on ABA theory and practice. All other interventions, many of which are currently promoted as ASD treatments, fell under the category of emerging or unestablished. Furthermore, many studies have sought to report the differential effects of ABA compared to eclectic models (Eikeseth et al., 2002; Eldevik et al., 2009; Howard et al., 2004). Howard and colleagues (2004) observed significantly greater gains in all the skill areas for children who received ABA. Other studies have illustrated how the level of intensity of therapy, or number of therapy hours, impacts outcomes. A study conducted by Granpeesheh and colleagues (2009) revealed that the numbers of hours per month significantly predicted child outcomes. In addition, they observed that children who started ABA earlier, had more positive outcomes. The authors stated that:
These data indicate that for children between 2 and 7 years of age, there was a significant increase in new skill acquisition with increased treatment hours. Further, there was not a point of diminishing returns (Granpeesheh et al., 2009).
These studies demonstrate the reliability and efficacy of ABA in helping to improve symptoms of ASD. They also note the importance of intensive and early intervention.