Benefits to the Client
An individual with ASD may benefit from ABA through a reduction in challenging behavior and an increase in other, functional behaviors and skills. This is not to change the individual. This is to assist the individual in being able to express their wants and needs in a way that others can understand them and be part of a social world. We never aim to change the core of who an individual is. We love each person’s unique interests and want to incorporate and facilitate these interests. We love the individuality that each individual we work with brings to us. This is why we want to assist in having them able to show the world who they are and help set them up for a life of joy and success. Their engagement with the world around them is what we believe to be the ultimate benefit!
Additionally, we believe the client benefits from the wrap around support provided to families and other professionals, as it assists the individual in being understood by those around them. Other potential benefits include increasing communication, making new friends, engaging in new experiences, learning, developing coping strategies for challenging times, and having fun.
Benefits to the Family
Beyond the individual, the family can benefit from ABA. This occurs in multiple fashions including learning strategies to help one’s child in multiple domains including decreasing challenging behavior and responding and reinforcing their growth and development. Additionally, as an individual with ASD is able to increase their independence and communication the family and caretakers are able to spend more time enjoying their interactions with that child and less time worrying about what to do or how to make it better. With this, our mission is to help each family spend less time worrying and more time enjoying their family for who they are.
Additional potential benefits to the family include support and understanding from a team of individuals who know and care about their child. Seeing their child happy and able to express themselves. As well as developing a support network to ensure their needs are met and they know they are not alone.
Benefits to Payors
The benefits of ABA do not stop at the client or family level. Research shows that receiving behavioral interventions as early as possible has increased maintenance of skills over time and decreased the need for future services (Lovaas, 1987; Zwaigenbaum, 2015; Peters-Scheffer, 2011). This is a benefit, not only to the individual and their family, but also to insurance companies and other funders of ABA. By providing financial support at an early age, the need for continued services and a continued financial backing decreases. Additionally, working closely with families and other professionals decreases the risk of similar goals being targeted in various ways. This consistency assists in supporting a quicker acquisition of goals and a potential lessening of time spent in services.
