ABA-VB therapy introduction
What Is ABA-VB Therapy?
Applied Behavior Analysis with Verbal Behavior (ABA-VB) is an evidence-based autism therapy that helps children develop communication, social interaction, and daily living skills.
ABA-VB is a specialized form of ABA therapy that focuses on how language is used in real life — not just learning words, but learning when, why, and how to communicate meaningfully.
At Autism Recovery Network (ARN), ABA-VB therapy is designed to support children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in building skills that improve everyday life at home, school, and in the community.
How ABA Therapy Helps Children with Autism
ABA therapy helps children learn essential skills through structured teaching, play, and positive reinforcement. With consistent support, children may improve in:
💬 Functional communication (requesting, answering, expressing needs)
🤝 Social skills and interaction with others
📚 Learning readiness such as attention and cooperation
👩🏫 Independence in daily routines
🧩 Emotional regulation and reduced frustration
ABA-VB therapy focuses on teaching skills that are practical, useful, and transferable, rather than isolated behaviors.
Motivation-Based Learning in ABA-VB
Motivation plays a central role in effective ABA-VB therapy.
We begin by identifying what motivates your child — favorite activities, toys, or interests — and use those as natural opportunities for learning. Over time, motivation shifts from tangible rewards to social connection, communication, and shared enjoyment.
This approach helps children engage more willingly and learn skills that feel meaningful rather than forced.
Building Skills That Generalize to Real Life
In ABA-VB therapy, learning does not stop in the therapy room.
Skills are taught step by step and then practiced across different people, settings, and situations. For example, a child who learns to request help during therapy is supported to use that same skill at home, at school, or in the community.
The goal of ABA-VB therapy is long-term independence, confidence, and functional communication.
Evidence-Based Autism Therapy with a Human Touch
ABA therapy is widely recognized as the most researched and evidence-based intervention for autism. Decades of studies support its effectiveness in improving communication, social interaction, and adaptive behavior.
At ARN, we combine scientific rigor with compassionate, individualized teaching. Every child is treated as a learner with unique strengths, not a checklist of behaviors. 💙
Why Families Choose ABA-VB at ARN
Families often tell us that ABA-VB helps their children:
Communicate more clearly and confidently
Engage more meaningfully with others
Participate more fully in daily life
Feel more understood and less frustrated
Professionals value ABA-VB for its structured, measurable progress — while parents appreciate how it translates into real-world change.
👉 Click the button below to explore our 1-on-1 ABA-VB Therapy Program in Hong Kong to see how assessment, individualized teaching, and progress monitoring support your child’s development.
About ABA-VB Therapy – FAQs
Of all forms of therapy and education that are available for autistic children, ABA training is the most established with 40 years of research backing it. ABA therapy in HK and abroad is the only treatment whose benefits have been consistently validated by independent scientific research. Also, applied behavior analysis in Hong Kong and internationally has been endorsed by many organizations including (but not limited to) the following:
- United States Surgeon General
- American Academy of Neurology
- American Academy of Family Physicians
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- American Psychological Association
- Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
- National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
- National Institute of Mental Health
- Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT)
- New York State Department of Health
We provide a more advanced version of ABA training, which focuses on helping these children develop and use language skills, and not just traditional children behavior problem training in Hong Kong. You may also like to read a New York Times’ article to learn more about the effectiveness of ABA therapy.
ABA training is a “Reinforcement” based science. It is within human nature to be motivated by foreseeable things that will help us achieve certain goals, and children are no different when it comes to this. Reinforcement encourages positive behavior and promotes frequency in a child practising good behavior in the future. The fact that Reinforcement is defined as occurring after a behavior shows that the terms “Bribe” and “Reinforcement” are not synonymous. Bribes involve saying to someone, “If you do this, I will give you this.” Bribes are dependent on a negotiation before the behavior occurs. Since Reinforcement occurs only after a behavior during ABA therapy is completed, they are not one in the same. In fact, most ABA training programs teach that the use of “If, Then,” statements are often contrary to good teaching. ABA therapy in HK focuses on identifying strong motivational things in order to help children engage in the ABA training program, and there are no limits as to what reinforcers can be.
Yes! ABA therapy is a science that was theorized and developed long before there was any thought of applying it to ASD. ABA training is used to help all kinds of people overcome all kinds of social and behavioral problems, such as quitting smoking, personality disorders, relationship counseling, obsessive compulsive disorders, and many other common human issues. ABA therapy and behavioral principles only began being used for autistic children in the late 1960’s and 1970’s.
ABA-VB avoids the tendency of traditional ABA to train children in a robotic manner to perform tasks without understanding. Our therapists are required to ensure that the children truly understand what they have learned. For example, children must not only learn about the item being taught, they must also demonstrate how to use it and generalise its use for different situations in real life.
Find out more about ABA-VB here.
Our ABA training programs are very flexible and customized to suit individual needs. When designing an applied behavior analysis Hong Kong program, we look at factors such as your child’s age, language ability and existent skills. Our ABA Hong Kong centre treats both high and low functioning children, of which some are non-verbal. Also, our ABA HK therapists can incorporate practices instructed by other professionals into the ABA training program, e.g. oral exercises instructed by your child’s speech therapist.
In addition, ABA is the only therapy recommended by the Surgeon-General to treat autism. Research conducted on it since the 1960s continues to build on the most successful intervention for improving autistic children’s outcomes, especially in developing their cognitive and language abilities.
The cost of ABA therapy in HK depends on the number of sessions conducted per month, and the experience of therapists assigned to your child. It is not uncommon for people to use applied behavior analysis Hong Kong services costing HKD$30,000 or more per month. You can consult us for specific costs of ABA therapy needed for your child based on their needs.
The cost of ABA therapy in HK may be considered high by some, given the frequency of intensive ABA training sessions. The success of applied behavior analysis in Hong Kong also requires parents to commit time and effort to instructing and training their children outside ABA therapy time. ABA in HK is best seen as a long-term treatment, supporting the child’s learning through the years of early schooling and adolescence. However, the program and delivery of ABA in Hong Kong may change as the child progresses through different stages of life. For instance, when a child approaches school-age, the ABA training program may be geared more heavily toward specific academic and social skills. In return for investing precious resources into ABA therapy, parents can expect to see their child progress in skills, behavior and general quality of life.
Our therapists mainly come from a psychology and pedagogy background. They have received extensive training from Dr. Partington and our program supervisors. We invest very heavily in staff development and training to make sure that our therapists always provide the best quality service in Asia.
ABA therapy is generally considered an intensive form of treatment. However, we are mindful to ease children into the flow of activities during the ABA HK session, especially when they first begin an ABA training program. Since our Verbal Behavior (VB) approach to ABA training is loosely structured around a child’s preferences and infused with age-appropriate leisure activities, instead of being mundane and tiring, our ABA therapy sessions are actually invigorating and enjoyable for the child. Consequently, motivation for learning is heightened as a result. We recommend a minimum of three sessions per week in order for the child to benefit from the effects of our ABA training program.
It is important to be understanding and watchful with your child’s behavior pattern. It is often the case that autistic children have difficulty getting their ideas and thoughts across, which may lead to frustration when misunderstood. Being taught through ABA therapy to communicate effectively is the best way to counter this issue along with providing positive reinforcement to motivate your child.
Our intensive ABA training program is based on the science of behavior and learning. Our ABA Hong Kong program depends on our knowledge of how the behavior of children works, how they are affected by the environment, and the best of learning. While conducting intensive ABA training, we seek to inculcate behaviors in children with developmental delays that are conducive to their growth and decrease the frequency of behaviors that negatively affect their learning or harm them.
Our intensive ABA training program can help children with language disabilities and developmental delays to improve their communication skills, social skills, attention, memory, and behavioral issues. The ABLLS-R assessment conducted as a part of our ABA training program can help in developing your child’s school curriculum and formulating effective treatment programs that improve his or her communication and language skills. The ABA training program at our centre is designed to prepare learners to become better individuals, adapt to changing environments, as well as function independently across different settings after ABA therapy.
Our intensive ABA training program is conducted by a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA), who has a master’s degree, PhD, or other specialization in behavioral sciences and psychology. Our ABA Hong Kong professionals work directly with your child and have an in-depth understanding of his or her needs.
The ABLLS-R assessment conducted as a part of our intensive ABA training program is recommended for children of all ages. However, its main focus is to access the skill set of developing children in the age bracket of 2 and 6 years, because this is the time when they learn to speak and understand their first language. Then as they progress through ABA therapy in HK, goals set will be changed according to their immediate needs. In our ABA training, AFLS, IPG and social thinking programs will be included based on set goals for each individual.
In some cases, your child’s insurance should cover his or her ABA training, especially if the doctor prescribes that your child medically requires ABA therapy. There are some private health insurance providers that do provide intensive ABA training coverage. However, it’s best to get in touch with your insurance provider to get more clarity so that you can prepare your finances accordingly before commencing applied behavior analysis in Hong Kong.
