Applied behavior analysis in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Recent developments, strengths, and pitfalls

Autism has become one of the most heavily researched topics in the field of mental health and education. While genetics has been the most studied of all topics, applied behavior analysis (ABA) has also received a great deal of attention, and has arguably yielded the most promising results of any research area to date. The current paper provides a review of recent trends in ABA research with respect to autism. Among the areas that are receiving the most attention include early intervention, parent training, functional assessment, challenging behaviors, independent living skills, social skills training, and parent training. The implications of these data are discussed.

► Applied behavior analysis research is expanding rapidly in the field of autism.
► A great deal of attention is being placed on intensive early intervention programs.
► Other trends include a focus on functional assessment, skill building versus behavior suppression, and more parental involvement in intervention.