SpecialNeeds.com

y Dr. Esther Hess, Ph.D. (aka “The Developmental Doc”).

When a child has autism, parents have many questions. I am often asked what is the difference between DIR/Floor Time and ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis). I had the opportunity to address this question at length with Dr. Mitchell Taubman, Ph.D., author of “Teaching Social Skills That Change Lives: Developing Meaningful Relationships in Early Childhood Adolescence.” A complete conversation may be read online at www.familymagazinegroup.com.

Dr. Hess:  What do you mean when you discuss teaching social skills for children and adolescents impacted by autism utilizing “contemporary ABA.”

Dr. Taubman: There are many variations to ABA, but “contemporary ABA” speaks to teaching children/adolescents the concept of learning “how to learn.”  In contrast to DIR/Floor Time, which has origins in the psychoanalytic theories of attachment and development, ABA looks at autism as having difficulties in learning. ABA approaches teaching social skills by focusing on several elements, including social awareness, social communication, social interaction, social learning and social relatedness. Within these broad categories, elements are explored, such as perspective taking, initiating interactions and responsiveness, social imitation and joint attention.

Dr. Hess: These are actually very similar skill sets that would be addressed using DIR/Floor Time.  Specifically, DIR/Floor Time would address these concerns by creating semi-structured problem-solving opportunities that focus on the child’s current developmental capacity, underlying neurological differences that might be interfering with optimum development, and the child’s relational style to know how to pull that child into a shared emotional experience. In regards to social skills, a theme might be addressed, for example, bullying at school, and then the group would examine the emotions of the victim and the bully and create strategies for dealing with the dilemma.

Esther B. Hess, Ph.D. is a developmental psychologist and executive director of a multidisciplinary treatment facility in West Los Angeles, Center for the Developing Mind. To contact Dr. Hess, please visit her web site at www.centerforthedevelopingmind.com.