Misbehavior is often interpreted as a child's way of seeking attention.
But, in the case of autistic children, this is spontaneous, not deliberate.
Almost everyone who is diagnosed of autism has a number of challenging behaviors that prevent them from functioning normally.
These behaviors may range from self-injurious such as hitting oneself or picking one's own skin, totally odd like continuous hand flapping and spinning, and very dangerous like kicking.
However extreme these behaviors may seem, they can be, in fact, fixed through a therapy called behavior therapy.
Behavior therapy is a technique that focuses on a wide variety of methods covered by Applied Behavior Analysis or ABA.
Although it is a relatively new concept in Psychology and an experimental one at that, studies have shown that it is an effective treatment method for autism.
Autism behavioral therapy focuses on correcting behaviors based on the main factors observed in ABA - stimulus, response, and reward which can be defined quantifiably.
Through observation of behaviors, experts try to create proper measures that can help discourage the repetition of unwanted behavior and establish a new set of behaviors that are favorable to the patient.
Autism behavioral therapy roots from the concept that all spectrum of behaviors, autistic or otherwise, can be understood and modified, regardless of their nature and occurrence, to the needs of the individual performing the problem behaviors and the people he affects through his behavior.
It works by observing the typical behaviors of the autistic child in normal settings.
His activities, emotions, and reactions and responses to things and activities are important information that are studied.
From these, the behavioral specialist will create interventions to improve what needs to be improved and reinforce behaviors that are good.
These interventions are based on six methods usually used to support patients of autism.
In summary these include: Reinforcement procedures which encourage repetition of desirable behaviors and discourage the performance of unwanted behaviors: oSystematic instruction to teach patients new skills like communication, functional life, and social skills.
oMaintenance of behaviors through introducing self-monitoring procedures.
oApplication of behaviors from one setting to another.
oRestriction of settings and conditions that can interfere with positive behaviors.
oReduction of interfering behaviors.
Under normal circumstances, behavior specialists create interventions that are applicable in a wide variety of settings and can be used by parents, educators, and medical personnel.
These may range from simple tasks such as acknowledging a good behavior through a reward system while ignoring difficult ones.
Interventions, however, are not limited to the behaviors of the patient.
These may also try to change the environment of the patients by introducing or reducing factors that are observed to affect the way the patient behaves.
Lighting, routine, visual schedule, and a total change of the environment may be introduced to suit the needs of the patient.
Unless effective outcomes are arrived at, the process of creating interventions continues.
The goal here is to modify difficult behaviors to improve the patient's quality of life and to make him for functional in social environments, not just to create interventions that have temporary effects.