PARENTS’ OPINIONS ON USING APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS (ABA) TO INCREASE NEUROTYPICALLY DEVELOPING CHILDREN’S LEVEL OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Abstract

Physical activity is important to reduce the risk of several diseases and in some cases death. Early childhood theorists stressed the importance of physical activity, lowering its cost, and rewarding physical movements. ABA interventions were an essential part of this paper because of its importance in altering the behavior and keeping the desired change even after the intervention. In general, parents and teachers’ motivations and engagement with children were the most effective way to increase physical activity in both ABA and ECE articles. Results of this research found that general knowledge of ABA is low and there is a need to increase ABA awareness and usage in the society before directing toward specific interventions. Finally, the cost of ABA interventions without insurance coverage is astronomical, yet all children have the right to receive behavioral treatments and live in an altered environment that ensure them the best overall development.