Applied Behavior Analysis

for Autism Spectrum DisordersPresentation by: Arlena Jordan

Overview“Screams, Slaps, and Love” Photo Essay

The Autism Spectrum Disorders

Causes of the Autism Spectrum Disorders

Origin of Applied Behavior Analysis

Purpose and Goals of Applied Behavior Analysis

Implementation of Applied Behavior Analysis Using Behaviorism

Main Criticism of Applied Behavior Analysis

“Screams, Slaps, and Love”

1965 Life magazine photo essay portraying four children with autism. They were referred to as: “utterly withdrawn children whose minds are sealed against all human contact and whose madness had turned their homes into hell” (Grant, 1965)

Depicted pictures of therapists using techniques such as administering electric shock to a child

Known as suffering from childhood schizophrenia

Previously, autism was treated using the psychoanalytic approach, but this Life article explored the idea of a new behaviorist technique that used punishments and rewards to change the child’s behavior.

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Referred to as a spectrum of disorders that share similar traits having to do with social interaction, verbal/nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors

Autism

Asperger’s Syndrome

Pervasive Developmental Disorder

Autism

•Frequently nonverbal - expressive through gestures•echolalia - repeating words, sounds, patterns

•Lack of social or emotional reciprocity

•Strong adherence to daily routines and patterns

•Impairment in behaviors such as eye contact, facial expressions

•Lack of engaging in shared vision

•No spontaneous social interaction

•Stereotypies - repetitive patterns of behavior

• Low- and high- functioning

Difficulty in communication; apparent language delay

•Focused interests

Asperger’s Syndrome

• Tends to understand language very literally

•Lack of social or emotional reciprocity

•Strong adherence to daily routines and patterns

•Impairment in behaviors such as eye contact, facial expressions•No spontaneous social

interaction and trouble developingstrong peer relationships

•Stereotypies - repetitive patterns of behavior and mannerisms

Should not be confused with high functioning autism

Development of speech and language but inadequate social and communication skills

Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise

Specified•“Atypical autism”•Example: severe deficit in socialization, but no

presence of stereotypes •Undeveloped diagnosis because there are many

combinations and degrees of deficits in one area and not another• No table of symptoms in the DSM -IV- TR

Biological FactorsSpeculative

Family Studies - show that there may be a genetic component to ASD though the gene pattern has yet to be discovered

1998 Study found less oxytocin in blood plasma of autistic individuals A later rat study, showed that the ones lacking oxytocin could not recognize other mice or their mother’s scent

White matter abnormalities in the brain - connects parts of the brain to each other

No strong evidence as to vaccines for measles and mumps playing a role

Environmental Poisoning

Questions

How would you, as a future educator, feel about having a student with ASD in your classroom?

What possible challenges would this pose to your instruction? To the other students?

Applied Behavior AnalysisProposed by Ivar Lovaas from the Neuropsychiatric Institute at UCLA

Identification and modification of objective, observable, and measurable behaviors

To teach social and communicative skills in order to respond appropriately to environmental stimuli

The ABCs

Antecedent - what happens right before the behavior

Behavior - the behavior itself

Consequence - what happens after the behavior

Identify the cause of the behavior (i.e wanting something, wanting to get something out of something else, looking for sensory input)

Help children with autism communicate their wants and needs effectively

Intended Goals of ABA

Decrease self-injurious, aggressive, or violent behaviors

Increase expression and communication skills

Increase the initiation and reciprocation of social interactions

Increase self-care skills

How?

ABA and BehaviorismBehaviorism - human and animal behavior is explained in terms of conditions and response to environmental situations and stimuli

Behavior is modified due to the consequences of that behavior, which makes it more or less likely for the behavior to occur

Positive Reinforcement - receiving a reward to increase the likelihood of behavior

Negative Reinforcement - taking away an aversive stimulus to increase the likelihood of behavior

Positive Punishment - giving something aversive in order to decrease likelihood of behavior

Negative Punishment - removal of something good in order to decrease likelihood of behavior

Case Study

What is the antecedent? The behavior? The consequence?

If you were an analyst, what type of interventions would you put in place for Billy?

Think about the desired outcome: do you want to increase or decrease the behavior

Billy, one of Dr. Lovaas’ 7 year-old patients, frequently went into violent fits during his Winnie the Pooh phase whenever he did not have his Pooh doll. His mother always kept replacements within reach to pacify him. She would go to great lengths to acquire one, terrified of his rages whenever he

ripped or lost one (Grant, 1965)

Criticisms of ABA

Bruno Bettelheim, psychoanalyst

Felt autism was due to the manifestation of “repressed egos” and “refrigerator mothers”

Believed ABA reduced children to the “level of Pavlovian dogs” and “pliable robots”

Question

Do you feel that what Bettelheim is saying is true: are analysts simply training children to act?

Is there real learning about social cues and the world with ABA?

Think: Why do we do things? Is it because we are responding to environmental stimuli in a certain way to bring about the desired outcome?

Question

After hearing about the purpose, goals, and effects of utilizing ABA, have your feelings about having a child with autism in your classroom changed or remained the same?

Summary

Autism Spectrum Disorders is an umbrella term for three disorders in which individuals have varying degrees of deficits in social interaction, verbal/nonverbal communication, and emotional/behavioral control

Utilizing the theory of behaviorism, in the form of Applied Behavior Analysis, therapists can identify the causes for certain behaviors and implement rewards or punishments in order to increase/decrease these behaviors