What is early intensive behavioral intervention?

Early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) is an evidence-based type of therapy that stems from applied behavioral analysis (ABA) principles to encourage positive behaviors, new skill development, and learning abilities in children with developmental disorders, particularly autism.

Both practices focus on positive reinforcement as the foundation for improving, learning, and managing, unhelpful behaviors. By offering rewards and praise, the behavioral specialists at project MIND, Inc., can help your child succeed at home, school, and in social situations.

How does early intensive behavioral intervention work?

Early intensive behavioral intervention encourages children with autism to make positive behavior changes through rewards and praise. Ignoring negative behaviors is another important aspect of this type of intervention. The goal of EIBI is to address specific behaviors to change negative patterns.

EIBI typically involves breaking up tasks into small steps. First, your child’s behavior specialist identifies an unhelpful behavior. Then they collaborate with your family to determine the right incentive or reward that motivates your child to change that behavior.

When practicing EIBI, the team makes it clear that your child will receive a reward for completing a certain task without a negative reaction. If they perform the task as expected, they receive praise and a reward. If not, the team ignores the negative behavior but does not give the anticipated reward.

Over time, your child will learn to associate positive behaviors and actions with rewards, which encourages them to phase out negative ones.

What can early intensive behavioral intervention do?

Early intensive behavioral intervention helps children with autism learn positive and appropriate behaviors for home, school, and public environments. It can also help them succeed academically and socially.

With regular care, early intensive behavioral intervention can help a child with autism:

Concentrate and focusLearn to play with othersComplete tasksLearn important life skills (getting dressed, brushing their teeth, etc.)Imitate appropriate social behaviorsImprove their speech and language skillsConverse with othersEnhance their executive functioning abilities

EIBI isn’t a quick treatment. Managing negative behaviors and encouraging positive ones can take months, even years. That’s why it’s essential to continue practicing early intensive behavioral intervention on a regular basis.