Recommended treatment levels are based on a child’s age and specific delays. Research indicates that preschool-aged children with mild to moderate delays show the best response to intensive programs (e.g., 20-40 hours per week). However, a 12-year old with age-appropriate language and cognitive skills may benefit from a 1-2 hour per week social skills program, provided for 3-4 months. Treatment levels are individualized for each child, and will vary over time.

No. At least not in a good ABA program. A 30-hour-per-week program for a four-year-old may include 15 hours of 1:1 teaching, 9 hours of preschool integration and 6 hours of playdates with neurotypical peers. During 1:1 time, we may work on self-help skills (dressing, brushing teeth, cleaning up), community skills (getting a haircut, parking lot safety, going to the dentist), language (using the past tense to describe trips), and play skills for playdates (The Floor is Lava, Hungry-Hungry Hippos, Alligator Dentist).

No. Preschool integration and peer socialization are fundamental parts of a good intensive early intervention program (9). Intensive ABA programs devote more therapy hours to play sessions with neurotypical peers than any other treatment available.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of bad ABA programs out there. Check the “Is My Provider Any Good” page in our Parent Support guide to learn about red flags for bad providers.

Parents and caregivers should be prepared for a broad range of potential outcomes. While research indicates that some children show significant benefits (e.g., 30-40 point IQ increases; independent, age-appropriate academic functioning), others children may show no measurable long-term gains on standardized measures of cognitive, communication or social functioning. Most children’s results will be between these extremes.

No. ABA providers vary dramatically in clinical experience, competency and services delivered. Increasingly, ABA agencies are owned and managed by private equity firms, rather than clinicians (8). Staff training procedures and supervision levels range significantly between providers. Some agencies recommend excessive treatment levels to maximize billable hours, while others recommend low-dose hours to promote referrals from funders. Unfortunately, parents need to evaluate providers before making a choice.

1) What research will my child’s program be based on? The clinical staff should be able to cite specific research studies, with subjects that match your child’s age and areas of need. 2) What kind of training do new staff receive before they work independently with children? Skip agencies that primarily use group lectures and online courses. Clinical training for new staff should be based on overlap therapy sessions with experienced personnel. 3) Can I speak with a current family who has been with your program for 18 months? If the agency has a blanket policy against letting potential clients speak with current clients, be very cautious.