Introduction

Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) therapy has widely been represented and is the most evidence-based practice for children on the Autism Spectrum. Organizations use ABA therapy as a widely evidenced-based intervention that contributes to a treatment program or multiple interventions based on the principles of motivation and learning. Collecting Data is important in ABA therapy to look at key areas or patterns in behaviour, language skills, social skills, and daily living skills to adjust. Currently, ABA supports children in developing essential skills, including dressing, improving toileting abilities, and enhancing functional communication.

There is a growing role of data collection and analysis to improve ABA therapy towards a more personalized approach. Making data-driven decisions in ABA therapy requires the collection and analysis of data related to client behavior and responses. As long as this data is collected appropriately, it can be used to inform a decision about a therapy strategy, a goal, and an intervention. Every step of the process is based on what the client needs and how he or she is progressing.

The best possible care for your child can be provided by a more tailored and personalized treatment. To improve service delivery and improve outcomes for individuals with autism, Ontario’s autism support services and healthcare system are increasingly driven by data and analysis. The province can improve autism services by leveraging diagnostic assessments, therapy programs, and research initiatives to provide a better understanding to health professionals using electronic health records to stay informed.

Understanding ABA Therapy

There is a great deal of evidence supporting the use of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) therapy with children on the Autism Spectrum. Many organizations use ABA therapy as part of a treatment program or multiple interventions based on motivation and learning principles. The goals of ABA therapy are to meet the cognitive, language, social, and adaptive needs of children and adolescents. At the beginning of ABA therapy, the use of pen and paper to collect data and observe a child’s behaviour and functioning has been at the forefront. The collection of data in this way provided an understanding of what areas to focus on and how to implement changes in programming and treatment.

The Importance of Data in ABA Therapy

Data tracking has always been an important process for ABA therapy. Looking at Data shows evidence and baselines for understanding a child with ASD. Data tracking for ABA therapy is crucial for early intervention to understand where adjustments need to be made to make for a more individualized treatment and personalized interventions. Here are the main reasons why it is so important to collect data in ABA therapy.

1. Tracking Progress – when tracking the progress of a child over time it is important to see the baseline and any patterns that emerge to rapidly adjust treatment interventions. Prior to technological advancement writing out the behaviours was a way to track a child’s progress. This led to human errors and biases, so better ways of tracking progress have been implemented through technology.
2. Individualized Treatment – the treatments become more personalized when tracking data to see how the child can improve. When tracking this data, it is easier to note which areas need improvement by finding patterns within the data. This has also become easier for technological advancements as all data is collected in one place.
3. Objective Measurement – Data shows objective evidence of behavior changes, avoiding bias in decision-making for tailored treatment. Data is shown to be more accurate than human observations as when writing observations down, human errors are easier to occur.

Types of Data Collected in ABA Therapy

• Behavioral Data: This looks at the frequency of behaviour, duration or how long it lasts, and intensity of the targeted behaviours.
• Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence (ABC) Data: This refers to taking data or information on the antecedents (events before), behaviours (action), and consequences (what happens after) of the behavior.
• Skill Acquisition Data: This looks at measuring the acquisition of new skills and milestones.
• Preference Assessments: This helps with recording what preferred activities and what items/things reinforce the child’s behaviour.

Leveraging Analytics to Optimize Therapy

Data /Analysis Tools are becoming more used in digital formats as the challenges of pen and paper data collection include paper not being able to be re-used, data being recorded from every session are then transcribed into an electronic database to produce graphs displaying the child’s progress, which can create human error. Loss of paper records can also lead to unauthorized viewing of a child’s health information by others and privacy concerns.

The introduction to digital tools and software is a way to overcome these challenges. Some of the digital tools used by ABA professionals in Ontario include:

1. Catalyst
2. ABA Data Collector
3. CentralReach
4. Rethink 
5. DataFinch Technologies

This allows for real-time Data Analysis and helps implement strategies for individualized plans more rapidly for a child with ASD. These digital data tools allow for analyzing trends on the spot to find the patterns and trends more easily and have those patterns all in one space. This also gives way to predictions of analysis and makes it easier to plan treatment goals and adjust these interventions and practices.

Benefits of Data-Driven ABA Therapy

1. Accountability for progress – with data-driven methods this allows for therapists to be accountable for ensuring that progress is met for children with ASD. 
2. Decision Making  – the insight of reliable data allows for decisions of treatment to be more accurate. Cluster analysis is an example of finding groups in data which helps to find these patterns and increase better decisions for accuracy of treatment.
3. Enhancing family involvement – Families, guardians, and caregivers can have access to the data, track data, and progress to be supportive both at home and in the community.
4. Reliable and consistent data – Tracking data allows for more consistency and results less in regressive symptoms as patterns of data show trends toward future intervention and treatment.

Challenges and Considerations

Despite the many benefits of Data-Driven methods for collection and analysis, there are many challenges and considerations for the use of electronic data and analysis as well. The main challenge is ensuring the amount of data being processed is being used effectively and accurately. Not only that, the training for professionals, caregivers, and families in implementing these tools is important for the accuracy of collecting and analyzing this data. Finally, security and privacy are an area that needs to be ensured, especially those that are HIPAA compliant in order to create proper encryption and store it correctly for privacy and confidentiality concerns.

The Future of Data and Analytics in ABA Therapy in Ontario

The future of data and analysis in ABA therapy is going to be strongly affected by technological advancement. Wearable devices are something that healthcare has been using to monitor symptoms and monitor patients’ health. In ABA settings this could be something that can enhance data-driven analyses, as smartwatches and activity trackers can track biological patterns and environmental factors including, movement and activity. This is encouraging to get insight at physiological levels as well throughout the child’s day and throughout the community and home settings.

AI systems are some of the future implemented technologies that can help to input the basic data, analyze the data to process it into therapy outcomes that show trends in the AI system. There is some evidence to say the future of ABA therapy, data collection, analysis, and outcomes can be predicted by AI, however, the limitations are how comprehensive the outcomes are for a personalized approach. Variables are not always completely imputed and a lot of AI relies on past research which is not completely accurate with underreported demographics. It is important to consider the future of ABA therapy, and how technology can advance treatment methods, but can also be biased by the past.

At Brock University, AI and VR systems are used in the form of a game to shape different skills. Individuals are tested within virtual environment formats or virtual reality in which teaching plans, setting up for a session, delivering reinforcement, and evaluating a session are all assessed. The studies have shown great encouragement and highly satisfied participants.

It is important to provide evidence of current demographics, and research on ABA strategies and interventions to ensure an accurate depiction of quality in data-driven ABA organizations in Ontario. There are ethical considerations for using AI for treatment in ABA, and this could include developing, building, and deploying AI technologies. As AI is in the process of coming to ABA, it is unknown the extent to which behavior analytic practitioners are familiar (and comfortable) with the use of AI in ABA.

When thinking about what areas are most important to take into account and talk about the future directions of Data collection and AI, also privacy breaches could be an area that could do harm to confidentiality. Ensuring children’s confidentiality is very important.

Conclusion

There is a great impact Data Collection and Analysis have on developing reliable and effective interventions for ABA therapy. The benefits include real-time access to therapy at your fingertips as well as improvements and better results for treatment and data collection for digital tools. Although there are great benefits to data and analysis in ABA therapy, digital tools can be a cause for privacy breaches and more evidence needs to be taken to ensure the accuracy of these digital tools. It is important to know that Data analysis can tailor ABA therapy and data-driven methods of ABA therapy have been shown to help improve accuracy due to human error in treatment and treatment goals.

Call to Action

At The Insight Clinic, we have many therapists who can help you manage Autism Symptoms as well as provide resources for Autism & ABA therapy. If you are a parent struggling with managing the behaviours of a child with autism, are anxious, or are struggling with finding options, The Insight Clinic can provide you with a therapist to cope with the anxieties and struggles. You can reach out today to book an appointment with our skilled and trained therapists to help you gain understanding and develop healthier coping strategies when you are feeling anxious, or developing these maladaptive thought patterns.

In collaboration with The Insight Clinic, ABA Academy leads with a focus on excellence and focuses on providing individual ABA Interventions for your child’s growth in social, cognitive, emotional, and physical developmental growth and milestones. ABA Academy provides high-quality, individualized, and effective services to help your child grow and learn. Reach out today to see if ABA Academy is the right fit for your child’s ABA services.