The Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) and Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) are both interventions for children with autism. When it comes to EDSM vs. ABA, many factors come into play. Parents looking for interventions for their child on the autism spectrum often wonder: which is better? To know this, parents must first know the difference between the two, and each method’s strengths.
What is EDSM?
ESDM is a play-based intervention that fuses behavioral and developmental principles into an integrated approach for kids ages 12 months-48 months. In EDSM therapy, parents and therapists use play as the building blocks for a positive and fun relationship. Through play and joint activities, the child boosts language, social and cognitive skills. ESDM is based on a foundation of toddler learning and development, and the teaching occurs during natural moments (in play or in everyday life).
The benefits of ESDM have been well-documented, including improved learning and language abilities and a reduction in the symptoms of autism. Brain scans even suggest that ESDM improves brain activity associated with social and communication skills.
How are ABA and EDSM similar?
If ESDM sounds similar to ABA therapy, which applies our understanding of how behavior works to real-life situations, that’s because it is similar in many ways. In fact, ESDM is based on ABA principles.ABA and EDSM are similar in that they:
- Both interventions focus on early childhood development (preschool age)
- Both strive to ensure the therapy is individualized to the child
- Both use the ABC principle (antecedent, behavior, consequence)
- Both collect data to show progress
- Both use principles of prompting, fading, and shaping to promote successful learning opportunities
How are ABA and EDSM different?
The goal of ABA is to increase behaviors that are helpful and decrease behaviors that are undesired. The goal of EDSM is to increase social skills and development. EDSM is less structured and rigid, and the child takes the lead. For instance, when prompting a child to attempt a new skill, the ESDM therapist uses the least amount of prompting (to the greatest). The ABA therapist uses the most prompting, fading the prompts as the child learns.
Joint activity is the base for each EDSM activity. The therapist and child build the activity together (the child’s choice guides it). And while ABC principles are used, it’s utilized in a more natural way than in ABA therapy. It uses rewards for all attempts at a skill (for instance, with natural consequences such as the child gets to play with the toy or eat the snack he has desired). In the process, EDSM uses a large amount of natural social reinforcers such as smiling and agreeing in speech (yes, it’s your favorite snack).
Lastly, ESDM is used from the ages of 6 months until 5 years, whereas ABA therapy can be used throughout the person’s lifetime.
Why EDSM may not be best for autism treatment
EDSM allows the child to take the lead, using their motivation, and allowing them to be reinforced by natural reinforcers, like praise and smiles. EDSM rewards all attempts even ones that are wrong or carried out by an adult. Lastly, EDSM is known to follow the child’s motivation as the determining factor for what activities will occur and not occur. In other words, if it’s not something the child naturally wants to do, it probably won’t be introduced. As a learning mode, EDSM philosophy is great! It’s even ideal and certainly the way that I would want to learn if it was me, but it is not compatible with the deficits of autism. EDSM relies heavily on socialization and motivation, and autism is primarily a social and motivation difference. Kids with autism diagnoses are likely to not be motivated by typical things and they are likely to not have typical social interaction. The principles of EDSM put them at a disadvantage because they are so much less likely to guide themselves to learn the things they need to know due to social and motivation deficits.
If the principles of EDSM as a learning tool appeal to you and you have a child with autism spectrum disorder, try looking for a practitioner who provides naturalistic, play-based ABA and understands how to use your child’s motivation to get and keep their attention. That way you can have the best of the science of ABA for learning with ASD, but the gentle guiding philosophies of EDSM.
