For a caregiver looking for therapy for someone with autism, there can be a lot of questions. One of those questions might be: What is ABA Therapy? ABA therapy is a type of behavioral therapy that can help individuals with autism gain essential social and behavioral skills. Some of the first questions caregivers have when considering ABA therapy include: “Is ABA therapy effective?” and “How does ABA therapy work?”

These are understandable questions. After all, you want the best outcome for the child in your care and to ensure any treatment is effective and beneficial.

Luckily, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will cover everything you need to know about the effectiveness of ABA therapy, its benefits, and how it can help kids with autism grow, thrive, and gain the skills they need for success.

The Research and What Evidence Shows

The short answer to the questions “Does ABA therapy work?” and “Is ABA therapy effective?” is a resounding yes.

ABA therapy has been used, practiced, and studied for the past 50 years and is considered the “gold standard” therapy for kids with autism.

Multiple major medical and governmental organizations endorse ABA therapy, including:

• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American Psychological Association
• U.S. Surgeon General
• CASP: Council of Autism Service Providers

As the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) points out in a clinical report from 2020, most evidence-based approaches to treat children with autism are based on ABA therapy. The AAP also notes that ABA therapy is a “comprehensive approach” that’s supported by randomized controlled trials and a substantial amount of single-subject literature (i.e., intensive, longitudinal research to establish evidence-based practices).

Two recent meta-analyses highlight ABA therapy benefits and ABA therapy’s success rate:

• A meta-analytic study from 2018 found that ABA therapy was effective at improving intellectual abilities, communication skills, adaptive behavior, and socialization
• A 2020 meta-analysis of ABA studies found “significant effects”  in the areas of socialization, communication, and expressive language 

What Makes ABA Therapy Different

A child with autism may receive support from various therapies, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, mental health therapy, and other types of behavioral therapy.

What makes ABA therapy different is that it’s a “one-stop shop” form of therapy. While many of these therapies address one or two symptoms, ABA therapy takes a more expansive, holistic approach, teaching essential skills across several areas, including communication, behavior, socialization, and the tasks of daily living.

You might also be asking yourself: What does an “ABA therapist” do? Typically, they help someone with autism learn crucial life skills and reduce challenging behaviors by applying scientific principles to understand exactly what causes those behaviors and how to improve them. 

At ACES, ABA therapists are called “behavior technicians,” and work one-on-one with your child through the therapeutic journey. A clinical supervisor will also coordinate with many of the other therapists and professionals a child works with, such as their teachers, speech therapists, occupational therapists, mental health providers, pediatricians, and more. 

Real Outcomes and What to Expect

When it comes to understanding the value of ABA therapy, it’s important to be realistic about what to expect. There are certain things ABA therapy for kids can do, and other things it can’t. Let’s break this down. 

What ABA Can Do

There are many measurable ways that ABA therapy can help a child grow and succeed. ABA therapy’s benefits include:

• Teaching communication skills
• Building social skills
• Increasing independence
• Reducing dangerous behaviors (tantrums, eloping—leaving safe areas without permission, self-injury, aggression)
• Fostering the improvement of daily living skills (dressing, eating, personal care)
• Building academic skills 

What ABA Can’t Do

Having realistic expectations means understanding that, while ABA therapy targets specific, fundamental skills, it isn’t a cure-all. For example, ABA therapy can’t:

• Cure autism, as autism is a lifelong condition
• Make a child more “normal”—whatever that might mean
• Work immediately, as ABA therapy can take time 

How to Think About ABA Therapy Success

After beginning ABA therapy, you may notice signs of improvement in a child, such as gains in communication, socialization, and behavior. But sometimes the changes are more subtle, or take more time to develop or be observable by others. This is why data tracking can be extremely helpful for caregivers.

ACES shares a large amount of data with caregivers so they can see how a child is progressing. Here’s how ACES will help you measure success:

• Providing a caregiver portal with data showing the child’s progression toward their goals
• Caregivers receive monthly summary meetings using our “Client Accomplishment Tracker” (CAT)
• ACES provides access to visual graphs showing how the child’s goals are progressing
• You’ll participate in monthly check-ins to reassess goals, progress, and how these are changing over time

It’s also crucial to keep in mind that sometimes behaviors get worse before they get improved. This phenomenon is called an extinction burst. It happens when the reinforcement for a child’s behavior is removed. While extinction bursts can be stressful and sometimes difficult to manage, they are normal, temporary, and are a sign of future positive progression. 

Timeline Expectations

As you consider the question “Does ABA therapy work?”, you likely also want to know how long it will take to work. Here’s what to know:

• It typically takes two to three weeks at a minimum before you’ll see anything change
• Sometimes it takes longer; it can be weeks or months before behavior changes, and sometimes even longer for these changes to be permanent.
• Sometimes behaviors get worse for a time (extinction bursts,) and sometimes behaviors fluctuate before you notice improvement 

ACES' Outcomes

ACES is unique and has over 30 years of industry experience helping individuals with autism thrive, as well as an exceptional track record of supporting families through the entire process.

ACES accomplishes this by:

• 400+ BCBA Supervisors with training that goes above and beyond competitors
• Individualized and collaborative care
• Use of comprehensive assessments (7+ tools, compared with 1–2 for other providers)
• A focus on extensive caregiver training, with an emphasis on teaching skills that can be applied and maintained beyond the therapy setting 

Ethical Dosage Approach

One aspect of ACES ABA therapy's success rate is its efficiency. Research shows that more ABA hours don’t necessarily achieve better outcomes. ACES doesn’t offer cookie-cutter prescriptions for ABA therapy. Instead, a comprehensive assessment is used to determine the optimal number of hours for each individual child. Typically, this means 20-25 hours per week, rather than a blanket prescription of 40 hours. 

Get Started with ACES Today

Addressing ABA Therapy Controversy

If you Google “ABA therapy reviews,” you might find some scary-sounding information about certain ABA therapy controversies. Someone interested in answering the question, “Is ABA therapy effective?” might find these distressing search results and wonder, “Is ABA therapy harmful?” 

Where the Controversy Comes From

It’s important to understand that the ABA therapy controversy comes primarily from an outdated mode of doing ABA therapy. When ABA therapy began to be practiced in the 1960s and 70s, it had a strong emphasis on rote behavioral drilling. This led to two problems: children who were unable to make their own decisions, and children were made more vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment due to their inability to make their own decisions. 

How ABA Has Evolved

ABA therapy for kids has evolved significantly over the years. Today, organizations like ACES take a more holistic, warm, and empathetic approach to therapy. Gone are the days of single-minded rote drilling of behaviors.

Instead, ABA therapy today emphasizes:

• Individualized therapy plans
• An approach that emphasizes and prioritizes a child’s strengths and preferences
• A high level of collaboration between the child and the behavior technician
• Providing choices and teaching a child to exercise their autonomy and best judgment
• Teaching beneficial life skills while reducing problematic behaviors without minimizing a child’s identity 

ACES' Specific Approach

ACES takes a more modern approach to ABA therapy. ACES is, of course, aware of the controversies surrounding the older styles of ABA therapy, some negative ABA therapy reviews, and questions like, “Is ABA therapy harmful?”

The goal, however, is to build trust with caregivers and children. This is accomplished by ensuring children and caregivers are engaged at every step of the process. Not only does ACES provide a steady stream of data on a child’s progress and goals, but it also adheres to an “assent-based ABA” approach.

ACES’ assent-based ABA approach emphasizes the child’s participation in therapy and uses the child’s strengths and preferences to tailor therapy activities and establish therapy goals. This also means that when a child does not show signs of assent, therapy is adjusted or stops altogether.

In therapy sessions, ACES focuses on:

• Self-advocacy
• Autonomy
• Communication, including verbal and non-verbal cues
• Trust building 

How to Identify Quality ABA Providers

While ABA therapy has evolved a great deal, some ABA therapy companies still practice ABA in the old way, over-emphasizing the overly rigid elimination of behaviors without sufficient collaboration or individualization, rather than a more collaborative approach between the child and the behavior technician.

When looking for quality ABA therapy, ACES recommends finding providers who:

• See each child as a unique individual
• Engage with the child in activities they might do in familiar locations, such as school or home (ACES also provides in-home ABA therapy)
• Try to tailor the therapy activities to the child’s interests and specific strengths and preferences.
• Create achievable goals and track progress, frequently sharing data with the caregivers
• Provide caregivers with training so strategies can be applied outside the therapy setting.
• Meet a child where they are, celebrating their neurodiversity, rather than trying to change the core of who they are
• Use evidence-based approaches to ABA therapy
• Have rigorous training programs for their Supervisors and behavior technicians to ensure quality outcomes.

ABA Therapy Benefits: What Caregivers Report

When a child starts ABA therapy, you may begin to see immediate improvements. It’s essential to remember that, while progress will come, ABA therapy is not a quick fix. It takes time and patience to see lasting results.

Your clinical supervisor will be sharing data with you throughout the process—so you’ll be able to track results in real time—and via specific metrics, including monthly summary reports, visual graphs charting progress toward goals, and monthly check-ins.

In time, you’ll begin to see real strides in a child’s progress in several key areas. Here’s what to look for:

• Communication gains, such as more eye contact, expanded vocabulary, improved conversation skills, and improved recognition of non-verbal cues
• Social skills, including turn-taking, empathy, listening, and initiating conversation
• Independence, like managing personal care and daily tasks
• Behavior reduction, such as fewer tantrums, less eloping, and fewer episodes of aggression
• Family quality of life improvements, including better emotional regulation, more harmonious relationships with caregivers and siblings, and better adherence to family routines

But it’s not just the behaviors that parents and caregivers notice changing. It’s how they feel as they go about their days. Parents and caregivers who have worked with ACES report decreased stress and overall more confidence after beginning ABA therapy. 

Next Steps

ABA therapy is an evidence-based, highly effective, doctor-recommended method that helps people with autism gain essential life skills, reach their goals, and get the support they need to be their best selves.

Now that you have a clear answer to the question, “Is ABA therapy effective?” it’s time to consider the next steps. Let ACES ABA therapy be your guide, providing quality care from highly trained behavior technicians who understand each child's unique strengths and preferences.

Get started with ACES.

References

Hyman, S. L., Levy, S. E., Myers, S. M., & COUNCIL ON CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, SECTION ON DEVELOPMENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS (2020). Identification, Evaluation, and Management of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Pediatrics, 145(1), e20193447.

Makrygianni, M. K., Gena, A., Katoudi, S., & Galanis, P. (2018). The effectiveness of applied behavior analytic interventions for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A meta-analytic study. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 51, 18–31.

Yu, Q., Li, E., Li, L., & Liang, W. (2020). Efficacy of Interventions Based on Applied Behavior Analysis for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-Analysis. Psychiatry investigation, 17(5), 432–443.

Choi, K. R., Bhakta, B., Knight, E. A., Becerra-Culqui, T. A., Gahre, T. L., Zima, B., & Coleman, K. J. (2022). Patient Outcomes After Applied Behavior Analysis for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics: JDBP, 43(1), 9–16.