What Did the Study Find?

A new peer-reviewed study by Catalight Research Institute analyzed data from 725 autistic children receiving ABA therapy across the U.S. The researchers found:

• Higher ABA hours weren't linked to improvements in communication, socialization, or daily living skills
• Children getting more hours tended to start with lower abilities and improved more slowly
• Dangerous behaviors decreased over time regardless of treatment hours
• Starting communication skills predicted outcomes better than treatment hours

Why This Matters for Autism Families

These findings challenge the common recommendation of 30-40 weekly ABA hours. As lead author Doreen Samelson noted, "Our findings suggest a more nuanced reality – one where more hours are not a reliable predictor of meaningful, real-world progress."

Practical Considerations

Parents and therapists may want to:

• Focus on quality over quantity of therapy hours
• Consider a child's baseline skills when planning treatment
• Track real-world functional outcomes, not just therapy goals

Study Limitations

This was an observational study (not a controlled trial) using real-world clinical data. More research is needed to understand optimal therapy approaches.

Source: Yahoo Finance (January 16, 2026 press release)

Read the study: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/study-finds-more-treatment-hours-202400139.html