FAQ

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) provides evidence-based therapy recommended by the American Pediatric Association and the American Medical Association as the most effective for children and adolescents diagnosed with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders. This therapy increases functional skills such as

• Language and Communication
• Social Interaction
• Adaptive Living Skills
• School Readiness
• Focus

Yes! ABA has been proven to be effective with children and adults. It can be used in a variety of situations to teach new skills and to decrease or eliminate problem behaviors. ABA is effective for individuals with and without disabilities.

Therapy hours typically range from 10 to 40 per week, depending on the child’s age, needs, and specific goals. For preschoolers, research often shows the strongest gains with 25–40 hours per week of comprehensive ABA. While every child is different, overly intensive schedules without proper balance can sometimes lead to increased fatigue or challenging behaviors.

Incorporating naturalistic teaching methods (like Pivotal Response Training) in real-world settings can often reduce the total hours needed, because skills are practiced across multiple environments. In contrast, clinic-only programs that exclude parents make it extremely difficult—sometimes nearly impossible—for children to generalize their new skills to home, school, and community settings.

That’s why we strongly require and value parental involvement. When parents actively participate and maintain consistency at home, progress accelerates and becomes far more meaningful and lasting.

Absolutely. In fact, BSI expects the parents to learn about ABA and how they can support and implement treatment strategies. This is accomplished through our parent training programs, parent coaching and participation with their child in ABA sessions. Some parents undergo additional education such as taking a Registered Behavioral Technician course which is a 40-hour course available online. We currently have two parents enrolled in college courses to become Board Certified Behavior Analysts!

Behavior does not change without consistency, so this is a significant problem. Work with your behavior analyst to determine effective strategies that you both can agree on.