Lovaas Model of Applied Behavior Analysis

The Lovaas Model of Applied Behavior Analysis is a behavioral therapy for children ages 18 to 42 months with autism or pervasive developmental disorder. Children receive an average of 35 to 40 hours of intervention per week over approximately three years. The intervention consists of in-home one-to-one instruction using discrete trial training (brief periods of one-on-one instruction where a teacher cues a behavior, prompts the appropriate response, and provides reinforcement), facilitated peer play, inclusion and support in regular education classrooms, and generalization activities for transfer of skills to natural environments. Parents are trained in instructional techniques. The intervention team consists of one-to-one instructors, trainers, and supervisors, with a team of three to five trained instructors delivering the majority of teaching in a child's home.