ABA, Who is it for?

Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) therapy is not exclusive to individuals with autism. While it is most widely recognized for its success in supporting children on the autism spectrum, this association largely exists because autism has been the most extensively researched area within the field.

The roots of this perception trace back to O. Ivar Lovaas’ landmark study involving 19 young children with autism. His research demonstrated that intensive ABA intervention (up to 20 hours per week) effectively reduced behaviours such as prolonged light gazing, hand flapping, lining up objects, and aggression. Impressively, nearly half of the children achieved intellectual and educational functioning within the typical range (Lovaas, 1987).

The success of this study sparked widespread interest and laid the foundation for what is now known as Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention (EIBI). Since then, the principles of ABA have evolved and been successfully applied across a broad range of ages, abilities, and developmental needs, far beyond autism.

Populations That Benefitted from ABA

Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of ABA-based approaches across multiple populations, including:

1. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (Lovaas, 1987; Rodgers et al., 2021)

2. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (Fabiano et al., 2009)

3. Down Syndrome (Feeley & Jones, 2006)

4. Global Developmental Delay / Intellectual Disabilities (Tincani et al., 2025)

5. Speech and Language Disorders (Romanczyk & McEachin, 2016; Нryntsiv et al., 2025)

6. Dementia and Older-Adult Behavioral Issues (Trahan et al., 2011)

7. Adults for Organizational Behavior Management (Gravina et al., 2018) 

What Age Group Can ABA Benefit?

All! ABA-based methods are adaptable across all ages, from toddlers as young as two to adults learning new skills or managing challenging behaviours (Gerhardt et al., 2022). Yes, adults can also benefit from ABA therapy.

The only exception is that the focus of intervention changes with age, for example:

• Young children (0 – 6 years old): Basic communication, play, and daily living skills

• School-age children (7 – 12 years old) : Social and academic skills

• Teens and adults (>13 years old): Independence, employment readiness, or community living skills

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That said, the skills targeted in ABA may vary for each individual, depending on factors such as the severity of the diagnosis, developmental level, and unique learning needs. The specific goals and assessments selected are tailored to the individual and guided by the provider’s professional recommendations.

How Long Does Someone Need ABA For?

The duration of ABA therapy depends on several factors, such as but not limited to:

1. Individual differences: Age, developmental level, presence of comorbid conditions (e.g., ASD + ADHD), severity of symptoms, and the specific skills or goals being targeted can influence the length of intervention (Rodgers et al., 2021).

2. Intensity and consistency: Most research indicates that interventions delivered with greater consistency and higher intensity tend to yield faster and more sustainable progress (Ali & Hussain, 2025; Heward et al., 2022).

3. Parent involvement: Research also found that children show significantly greater improvement when parents are actively involved and supported in using ABA strategies in their daily routines (Cheng et al., 2023; Collins et al., 2025; Unlu, 2020).

   
   

References:

Ali, Q., & Hussain, I. (2025). Treatment response and cognitive processing in neurodevelopmental disorders: A systematic review and meta- snalysis. Unpublished. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.34407.76960

Cheng, W. M., Smith, T. B., Butler, M., Taylor, T. M., & Clayton, D. (2023). Effects of parent-implemented interventions on outcomes of children with autism: A meta-analysis. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 53(11), 4147–4163. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05688-8

Collins, I. M., Halter, F., Schächinger Tenés, L. T., Lieb, R., & Meyer, A. H. (2025). A meta-analysis of applied behavior analysis-based interventions to improve communication, adaptive, and cognitive skills in children on the autism spectrum. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-025-00506-0

Fabiano, G. A., Pelham, W. E., Coles, E. K., Gnagy, E. M., Chronis-Tuscano, A., & O’Connor, B. C. (2009). A meta-analysis of behavioral treatments for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Clinical Psychology Review, 29(2), 129–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2008.11.001

Feeley, K., & Jones, E. (2006). Addressing challenging behaviour in children with Down syndrome: The use of applied behaviour analysis for assessment and intervention. Down Syndrome Research and Practice, 11(2), 64–77. https://doi.org/10.3104/perspectives.316

Gerhardt, P. F., Bahry, S. N., Mason, B., & Solis, M. S. (2022). On predicting the future: Recommendations for the field of aba in supporting adults with asd. In J. B. Leaf, J. H. Cihon, J. L. Ferguson, & P. F. Gerhardt (Eds.), Handbook of Quality of Life for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (pp. 449–460). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98507-3_25

Gravina, N., Villacorta, J., Albert, K., Clark, R., Curry, S., & Wilder, D. (2018). A literature review of organizational behavior management interventions in human service settings from 1990 to 2016. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 38(2–3), 191–224. https://doi.org/10.1080/01608061.2018.1454872

Heward, W. L., Critchfield, T. S., Reed, D. D., Detrich, R., & Kimball, J. W. (2022). ABA from A to Z: Behavior science applied to 350 domains of socially significant behavior. Perspectives on Behavior Science, 45(2), 327–359. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-022-00336-z

Lovaas, O. I. (1987). Behavioral treatment and normal educational and intellectual functioning in young autistic children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55(1), 3–9. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.55.1.3

Rodgers, M., Simmonds, M., Marshall, D., Hodgson, R., Stewart, L. A., Rai, D., Wright, K., Ben-Itzchak, E., Eikeseth, S., Eldevik, S., Kovshoff, H., Magiati, I., Osborne, L. A., Reed, P., Vivanti, G., Zachor, D., & Couteur, A. L. (2021). Intensive behavioural interventions based on applied behaviour analysis for young children with autism: An international collaborative individual participant data meta-analysis. Autism, 25(4), 1137–1153. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361320985680

Romanczyk, R. G., & McEachin, J. (Eds.). (2016). Comprehensive models of autism spectrum disorder treatment. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40904-7

Tincani, M., Brodhead, M. T., & Dowdy, A. (2025). ABA promotes autonomy and choice of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 37(3), 383–409. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-024-09949-5

Trahan, M. A., Kahng, S., Fisher, A. B., & Hausman, N. L. (2011). Behavior analytic research on dementia in older adults. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 44(3), 687–691. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2011.44-687

Unlu, E. (2020). Parent implemented program for teaching toileting skills for children with developmental disabilities. International Journal of Early Childhood Special Education, 92–104. https://doi.org/10.20489/intjecse.640348

Нryntsiv, M., Zamishchak, M., Bondarenko, Y., Suprun, H., & Dushka, A. (2025). Approaches to Speech Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). International Journal of Child Health and Nutrition, 14(1), 32–45. https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4247.2025.14.01.05