Developmental Disabilities

Behavior Analysis has a decades long history of providing successful interventions for individuals with a variety of different developmental disabilities, including: mild to severe intellectual disabilities, Down's syndrome, seizure disorders, Cerebral Palsy, Angelman syndrome, Fragile X, and Prader-Willie syndrome.

Developmental disabilities affect approximately 17 percent of children under the age of 18 in the U.S., and an estimated 54 million people in the U.S. are currently living with a disability (Centers for Disease Control). While the effects and severity of these conditions can vary widely, people with developmental disabilities often have challenges with daily life activities such as communication, learning, self-care, mobility, and the ability to live or work independently.

Behavior Analysis can help these individuals to learn adaptive and functional skill sets that allow them to more independently and actively participate in the daily activities in their lives. Behavior Analysts work to replace dangerous or problematic behaviors with appropriate alternative responses that allow individuals to get their needs met without causing disruption or harm to themselves or others.

Related Research Journals

Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis

Behavior Modification

Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities

Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry

Behavior Interventions

Books

Teaching Developmentally Disabled Children: The Me Book By O. Ivar Lovaas