Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) for Adolescent Intellectually Disabled Children

Introduction: Adaptive Behaviour relates to everyday skills or tasks that the average person is able to complete, similar to life skills. It enables a person to cope with their environment leading to greatest success and less conflict with others. Behavioral patterns of Intellectually Disabled children change throughout a person’s development, especially during adolescence, with evolution of personal values. It is important to assess adaptive behavior in order to determine how well an individual functions in daily life. Maladaptive behaviour on the other side leads to Non productive coping. As Intellectually Disabled children reach developmental milestones much later than the general population, low performance on all kinds of intellectual task including learning, use of concepts, and problem solving is noted in all types of ID. Specific abnormalities may lead to particular difficulties. For example, lack of visuo spatial skills may cause practical difficulties, such as inability to dress, or there may be disproportionate difficulties with language or social interaction, both of which are strongly associated with behaviour disorder. Among retarded children, the common behaviour problems of childhood tend to occur when they grow older. Adolescents with mental retardation (ID) face a number of physical and psychological needs which are not often distinguishable & as a consequence undergo the deterioration of their already burdened quality of life. In particular, mental health problems occur 3 to 4 times more often in adolescents with mental retardation. Epidemiological data indicate that behavioral disorders are among the most common types of psychopathology in mentally retarded adolescents with the severity and symptoms vary depending on the personal characteristics of each adolescent., Psychiatric bulletein, Apr-Jun 2014,) Individual characteristics of adolescents (intellectual level, attention capacity, understandable linguistic expression), along with intensity of problem determines the type of Behaviour Therapy (ABA) to be applied. CHILD BEHAVIOUR THERAPY clarifies the meaning of behaviour modification which refers to the application of behaviour principles, to child rearing. Applied Behaviour Analysis” (ABA) refers to a variety of psychosocial interventions that use behavioral principles to shape an individual’s behaviour. This study involves applying ABA for adolescent Intellectually Disabled children, and analysing its effectiveness in relevance to various adaptive behaviours. Aim of the study:To identify inappropriate behaviour in adolescent intellectually disabled, by standardized assessment, apply ABA method of treatment, and find the effectiveness of the selected treatment in dealing with such behaviours. Objectives of the study: To screenout for inappropriate behaviour of adolescent Intellectual Disabled children with Nisonger Child Behaviour Rating Form. To apply selected Applied Behaviour Analysis for moulding inappropriate behaviour for duration of two to six months in selected Day care centre at Cuddalore. To study the effectiveness of therapy. To tabulate &statistically analyse the results. Method: Mild, Moderate, Severe ID adolescents studying at Sri Sivasakthi special care school at Cuddalore are included, for the study after obtaining their parents consent. Children of both male and female gender, of age 12 to 14 is included. Through HISTORY from parents & teachers and Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form, inappropriate behaviour was screened. Appropriate children & method of ABA was selected, for providing treatment. Results were analysed. Result: It is seen from the analysis that problem behaviours of the patients for mild, moderate and severe Intellectual Disability were reduced using the Applied Behaviour Analysis. Among the techniques, discrete trial training, picture exchange communication system and token economy is significantly effective in dealing with Irritable, Anxious, conduct problem & hyperactivity. Discussion: The purpose of this study was to identify problem behaviours in intellectual disability, administer ABA, and find its effectiveness in dealing with the problem behaviours. For this study, Sri Siva Sakthi Special School, at Cuddalore was approached. Informed consent from parents, teachers was obtained for conducting study in the school premises. 30 students of intellectual disability were identified with problems. The children were assessed using standardized NISONGER CHILD BEHAVIOUR RATING FORM. The behaviour problems in individuals were noted. It was informed to parents, teachers to apply same method of ABA, irrespective of whether they are at school campus, at home etc. After such intervention application for 3 months, reassessing them using the same scale revealed conduct problem, anxious, hyperactive, self-injury, self-isolate and irritable problems are reduced to a notable degree. It was observed that, Discrete Trial Training was very much effective for mild intellectual disability. Picture Exchange Communication System and Token Economy was very much effective for Moderate and severe Intellectual disability. Conclusion: From the selected sample of the study, it is seen that ABA is an effective method of therapy for any type of Intellectual Disability in dealing with behaviour problems of Adolescence. It could be taught to parents, teachers of such children at an early age to minimize the inappropriate behaviour at any place.