Effectiveness of Applied Behavioral Analysis vs Verbal Behavior approach in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a complex neuro developmental disorder marked by chronic social interaction and communication difficulties. This study fills the methodological gap by performing a comparative study of interventions based on applied behavior analysis in a changing social context of Pakistan. This study model is derived from applied behavioral analysis and used its three interventions Discrete Test Training, Video Demonstration, and Verbal Behavior and further divided them into two groups, one group provided Discrete Test Training and Video Modelling and the other group provided verbal behavior and did provided any intervention to controlled group. Cognitive behavioral therapy adopted for mothers of children with autism who suffer from stress, depression and anxiety. Data was collected with the help of Autism Treatment Evaluation Scale (ATEC) and Strength and difficulty questionnaire (SDQ). The sample of the present study consists of total of 42 children further divided into three equal groups of 14 each, ranging from age 6 to 11 years with diagnosis mild or moderate level of autism are included.