Lovaas model

The Lovaas model was developed by psychology professor Ole Ivar Lovaas at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and is a type of Early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI). Using the science of Applied behavior analysis (ABA), the technique is carried out early in the development of children with autism and children with developmental-delays. It is the only therapy to have gone under approval by the United States Surgeon General's office in 1999. It involves discrete trial teaching, breaking skills down into their most basic components, rewarding positive performance with praise and reinforcers, and then "generalizing" skills in a naturalistic setting. By implementing the intervention for 30–40 hours a week, children under age five can gain language, academic, and basic living skills while some may fully recover. The technique is also noted for its previous use of aversives to punish unwanted behaviors.