Ableism in Applied Behavior Analysis: Historical Context of Services for Autistic People
Ableism can hide inside “standard” ABA goals; check that each target truly serves the Autistic client, not social comfort.
01Research in Context
What this study did
McComas et al. (2025) traced how ableism has slipped into ABA history. They reviewed early autism interventions and today’s manuals. The paper is conceptual, not a new experiment.
What they found
The authors show that first-wave ABA aimed to stop dangerous behavior. Over time, goals shifted to making Autistic people appear “less autistic.” This slide risks treating normal Autistic traits as problems to erase.
How this fits with other research
Leaf et al. (2017) and Leaf et al. (2020) warned that rushed RBT training can weaken autism services. McComas widens the lens: even well-trained staff can harm if goals are ableist.
Mottron et al. (2023) argue that autism severity should rest on adaptive need, not on how “classic” the child looks. McComas agrees and adds that chasing prototypicality is itself an ableist goal.
Whiteside et al. (2022) show how to partner with developmentally disabled researchers. McComas pushes BCBAs to apply the same respect to everyday clients, not just to research subjects.
Why it matters
You might write goals that try to end hand-flapping or force eye contact. This paper asks you to pause and ask, “Does this goal help the client or just make me comfortable?” Swap one ableist target for a skill that builds autonomy this week.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Abstract Ableism is broadly defined as a set of behaviors and attitudes or, in behavior-analytic terms, as private events, deeply embedded within societal norms (Friedman & Owen, 2017). This paper explores the concept of ableism and its relation to applied behavior analytic services, with a particular focus on its implications for services provided to Autistic people. The purpose of the paper is neither to criticize nor to offer apologies for applied behavior analysis (ABA), but rather it is to aid the reader in understanding ableism by describing the context in which applied behavior analytic interventions were designed to attenuate some of the severe behavior that was distressing for the Autistic person and their caregivers (e.g., parents, staff). Examples of such behavior included self-injury, aggression, and extreme social withdrawal which were characteristic of individuals diagnosed as Autistic in the early days of ABA. The authors trace the evolution of ableism in ABA through to the present day, in which the heterogeneity in behavioral expression and needs of people diagnosed as Autistic are perhaps greater than ever, and some of those needs continue to go unaddressed. This paper, along with its companion article, “Ableism in Applied Behavior Analysis: A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding and Dismantling Ableism in Practice with Autistic People,” have incorporated both the limited available research regarding ableism in ABA-related services and lived experiences of some of the authors and other Autistic people whom the authors have provided services.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2025 · doi:10.1007/s40617-025-01100-w