How Long Does ABA Therapy Last?

It depends on numerous factors, but ABA therapy can last three to five years on average. A child’s age, their exact needs, and how often they have ABA therapy each week all affect the duration of ABA therapy.  

We’ll dive more into how long ABA therapy lasts, but please note that these statements are generalizations. You will not know what your child needs until they are properly assessed by an experienced ABA therapist, like those at Spectrum Behavioral Therapies.

Factors Affecting the Duration of ABA Therapy

First, let’s discuss the numerous factors that can affect the duration of ABA therapy. As you’ll read throughout this article, there is no one-size-fits-all schedule. It all depends on the client and their individual needs. 

Age

Age is a significant factor in determining the length and intensity of ABA therapy. Younger children have better neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to learn and change behavior patterns. A study by Peter Vietze & Leah Esther Lax found that toddlers significantly improved motor, communication, cognitive, adaptive, and other skills thanks to early intervention ABA therapy. 

However, it’s important to note that ABA therapy can help older children and even adults with their developmental skills. A quote from a different study by Jonathan W. Ivy & Kimberly A. Schreck states, “ABA can be considered an efficacious treatment option for individuals with ASD [autism spectrum disorder] across the lifespan if used with fidelity to the application of ABA principles.”

Complexity of Needs

ABA therapy is adaptable to a wide range of needs, which is why the intensity of the therapy can vary depending on the complexity of each client’s situation. If a client needs ABA due to a brain injury, their schedule will look different from someone with autism.

Also, depending on the level of severity of autism, the client could require more care. For example, if a client has mild symptoms, they won’t need therapy for as long as someone with severe symptoms.  

Part-Time or Full-Time Schedule

Once Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) assesses your child, they will suggest a treatment schedule. This ABA therapy schedule is their professional recommendation, but you may need to adapt it to fit your circumstances. The number of sessions your child can handle, how many weekly sessions insurance will allow, and your personal schedule, can all affect the frequency of ABA therapy.

If the suggested full- or part-time ABA therapy schedule doesn’t work, the therapist can adapt the treatment plan to accommodate a shorter or longer time frame. However, deviating from the recommended schedule may affect the duration of treatment and the expectation for when improvements might first appear. You’ll want to speak to the therapist to weigh the pros and cons of each option.

Progress Maintenance between Sessions

Parental and caregiving involvement is vital in ABA therapy. Not only does it create a supportive environment for the client, but it also helps maintain progress between sessions. When progress is maintained, it’s easier to build up skills and see improvements.

Ensure you talk to your child’s ABA therapist about how you can help the process. 

How Long Is ABA Therapy?

How long a client is in ABA therapy varies depending on multiple factors. On average, a child can be in ABA therapy anywhere between three and five years. Some children may be in ABA therapy for less than that, and some may be in it longer. 

This may seem excessive, but there is a good reason for this intensity. A study by Linstead, Dixon, Hong, Burns, French, Novack, and Granpeesheh, for example, showed a strong connection between skill acquisition and treatment intensity and duration. 

When Do ABA Therapy Hours Decrease?

ABA therapy hours decrease over time as a client reaches their ABA goals. As the client grows more confident in their abilities to do tasks independently, there will be less need for ABA intervention. 

Three Phases of ABA Therapy

The three phases of ABA therapy are: Comprehensive, Focused, and Graduation. 

Comprehensive ABA

Comprehensive ABA addresses multiple needs and skill development. It requires more ABA therapy hours to ensure each area of improvement is addressed.

Young children with autism or developmental delays are recommended to receive comprehensive ABA due to their neuroplasticity. They will be able to develop new skills and coping mechanisms more easily with greater support.

Ex: Doug is a four-year-old who needs help developing his communication and social skills, along with following instructions and sitting in place. His parents are hoping he will be able to go to school comfortably and confidently within a year. 

After reviewing Doug’s needs, the ABA therapist suggests comprehensive ABA therapy for 30–40 hours a week to address these needs within that timeframe. 

There is no guarantee that Doug will be proficient in all these skills when school time arrives. However, the ABA team and parents will approach this when that time comes.

Focused ABA 

When the client and therapist are focusing on specific behaviors or skills, focused ABA is used. Focused ABA requires fewer hours due to the client needing less support. This ensures the client has more opportunities to act independently without losing their support system.

Clients can start with focused ABA or transition to it from comprehensive ABA. 

Ex: Doug has been doing comprehensive ABA for almost a year and has shown improvements in his communication and social skills. However, he is still struggling with sitting in one place and following directions. 

Because school is starting soon and he has shown improvement, the ABA therapist suggests that Doug transition into focused ABA with school support. The parents agree, and together the team creates a new plan.

Now, Doug will have school support and 15 hours of ABA therapy every week.

Graduation

Once a client develops the skills needed to thrive in life, they “graduate” from ABA therapy. This means they no longer need ABA sessions and can use the skills and coping mechanisms they were taught.

Graduation doesn’t mean a sudden stop to ABA. It’s a slow transition away to ensure the client has built the skills they need to live independently and no longer needs support.

However, this doesn’t mean that the client won’t benefit from additional ABA support in the future. Clients may need maintenance sessions or experience a regression that requires additional support. 

Ex: Doug is now excelling at school and loves to play with his friends. The ABA team successfully pulled school support without issue. 

The ABA team and Doug’s parents discussed whether Doug needs to continue ABA. They agree it’s time for him to graduate and create a plan to slowly reduce ABA hours. 

Going from 10 to 6 to 2 hours each week, the team fully pulls away. They let the parents know they can contact the practice if Doug shows signs of needing help again in the future.

How Many Hours of ABA Therapy Does a Child Need?

ABA can occur two to five times per week, equating to 10 to 40 hours per week. Each session can range from a few hours to all day. Longer ABA therapy hours are often suggested for those with severe developmental delays. 

A higher intensity is recommended for children under 5 since the goal is to get them “up to speed” for school-age skills and to quickly fade services as opposed to doing a little bit of therapy for the long term. 

Ex: An ideal situation is that a 3 year old child does 30-40 hours/week. We work on anything and everything with this child so that once they enter school, we can cut this down to 10-15 hours/week. If we front load therapy, then the child has less skills. The goal is to close the gap between the child and other kids their age. 

When the child gets older, this gap gets extremely bigger. If the child has done minimal therapy, this = less skills mastered and more “catch up” to do later down the line. These children typically struggle. A 6 year old shouldn’t be learning how to follow simple instructions, respond to their name, ask for what they want… these are skills that should be learned earlier on so that we can focus on teaching more advanced skills for the 6 year old (i.e., responding to social cues, having conversations, playing interactively with peers).

One reason ABA starts out so intensely is so that the client and ABA team can build a strong relationship. Once trust has been established, it’s easier to create a foundation for learning and adapting to new changes, which is crucial for those with autism.

As time goes on, the frequency and duration of ABA sessions will reduce. As the client grows more confident in their abilities to do tasks independently, there will be less need for ABA intervention.   

ABA Therapy Progress Signs

Many parents often ask, “How long does aba therapy take to work?”, especially when they invest in a full-time schedule. If you have any concerns, talk to your child’s ABA therapist. They will give you an accurate picture of your child’s progress. 

Typical signs of ABA progress include:

• • Goal achievement: No matter how small, each goal achieved is a sign of progress.

• • Consistency: Your child is showing desired behaviors or finishing tasks repeatedly.

• • Independence: Your child can care for themselves and perform daily living activities independently.

• • Fewer maladaptive behaviors: Your child is showing fewer occurrences of maladaptive behaviors.

• • Better adaptability: Your child can handle changes in their routine or schedule without using maladaptive behaviors.

• • Happier: Your child seems more relaxed and less anxious or stressed

• • Communicating needs: Your child can communicate their emotional and practical needs.

• • Able to make friends: Improvements in communication and social skills allow clients to make friends more easily.

• • Ability to generalize skills to other people and locations:This shows that the child is now able to learn on their own instead of having skills broken down for them or taught individually.

Get Started with Spectrum Behavioral Therapies

While starting ABA therapy can be a significant investment, it’s worth the effort. ABA therapy can help children and adults with autism or other developmental delays live a fuller life. If you’re looking for a trusted ABA provider, turn to Spectrum Behavioral Therapies.

We help people all over California. Explore our services and get started today!