Aggression in autism spectrum disorder: presentation and treatment options.

The authors read every paper they could find on aggression in autism.

They pulled out the parts that used ABA methods.

They wrote a plain guide for clinicians.

Three ABA tools rose to the top.

Start with a Functional Behavior Assessment.

Add reinforcement for good behavior.

Teach Functional Communication Training so the child can ask instead of hit.

Aman et al. (1993) warned that even when teams did FBAs, they still used harsh punishments. SLibero et al. (2016) shows the field has moved on — reinforcement and FCT now lead the list.

Christian et al. (1997) ran a single-case test of FCT for one young woman with autism. Her self-injury dropped fast, but her escape-based aggression needed the delay removed. SLibero et al. (2016) folds that lesson into its advice: match the plan to the function.

Cerasuolo et al. (2022) looked at what predicts ABA success. They found no single child trait guarantees a win. This backs SLibero et al. (2016): you still need the full FBA-plus-reinforcement package even if the learner seems "low functioning."

Boudreau et al. (2015) counted how many kids have drug-proof aggression. One in five ASD clinic patients still hit, bite, or tantrum after many meds. SLibero et al. (2016) answers that group with the same core ABA plan.

If a child with autism is hitting, start with an FBA today. Pair it with strong reinforcement and teach a simple way to ask for breaks or items. These steps still beat medication alone.