How Many ABA Hours Does My Child Need?

Intensive ABA (sometimes called Comprehensive ABA) involves 20-40 hours per week and addresses multiple developmental domains: communication, social skills, daily living, and behaviour. Research by Lovaas (1987) and subsequent meta-analyses by Eldevik et al. (2009) support intensive early intervention for children under 5 with significant skill gaps, showing IQ gains of 15-20 points and improved adaptive behaviour.

Focused ABA targets specific skills or behaviours with 10-15 hours per week. This model suits school-aged children, those with less pervasive skill deficits, or families transitioning from intensive to maintenance programming. The BACB recommends that a BCBA conduct a comprehensive assessment to determine the appropriate intensity for each individual child.

Your BCBA should conduct a skills assessment (such as the VB-MAPP or ABLLS-R) to identify your child's current skill levels and develop treatment goals. The recommended intensity depends on: age (younger children generally benefit from more hours), severity of skill deficits, family capacity to implement strategies between sessions, and availability of complementary therapies like speech or OT.

Under the OAP, core clinical services funding of $6,600–$65,000/year can fund approximately 20-25 hours per week of RBT-delivered ABA at typical Ontario rates ($50-65/hour), plus BCBA supervision. Ask your provider to show how the budget turns into therapy hours.