- ABA applies the science of learning to socially meaningful change.
- It's defined by seven dimensions (Baer, Wolf and Risley, 1968).
- The core unit is the antecedent-behavior-consequence relationship.
- Modern practice is individualized, assent-based and often naturalistic.
What is ABA?
Behavior analysis is the science of how behavior is affected by the environment. Applied behavior analysis uses that science to improve behavior that matters to a person and the people around them.2
What are the seven dimensions of ABA?
In 1968, Baer, Wolf and Risley described seven dimensions that define ABA:1
| Dimension | What it means |
|---|---|
| Applied | Targets behavior that is socially significant for the person |
| Behavioral | Measures real, observable behavior |
| Analytic | Shows that the intervention caused the change |
| Technological | Procedures are described clearly enough to replicate |
| Conceptually systematic | Procedures link back to behavioral principles |
| Effective | Changes are large enough to matter in daily life |
| Generality | Changes last over time and carry across settings and people |
What core concepts should I know first?
- Three-term contingency: antecedent, behavior, consequence
- Reinforcement: consequences that make behavior more likely in the future
- Function: the reason a behavior happens, such as attention, escape, access to items, or sensory
- Prompting and fading: helping, then removing help
- Generalization: using skills in new places and with new people
- Measurement: counting and graphing behavior to guide decisions
What does modern ABA look like?
Many programs now blend structured teaching with naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBIs), which teach within play and daily routines, follow the child's lead, and use natural reinforcers.3 Good practice also centers assent, caregiver goals and quality of life.
What can I do next?
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