ABA — Applied Behavior Analysis

ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) is an approach based on principles of behavior analysis that uses positive reinforcement to increase desired behaviors and reduce behaviors considered problematic. It's the autism intervention with the most published research and the widest recognition in health policy in the United States.

Modern ABA is very different from historically controversial practices. Contemporary ABA (such as the Early Start Denver Model) is child-centered, play-based, and focused on motivation and functional communication. But ABA remains a source of significant controversy within the autistic community — autistic adults who went through intensive ABA describe experiences of trauma, suppression of identity, and being taught to mask.

The debate over ABA is complex and not black-and-white. Implementation quality varies enormously. It's important to question both the goals (the child's functioning and well-being vs. neurotypical appearance) and the method (positive reinforcement vs. suppression of natural behaviors).