Concerns About ABA-Based Intervention: An Evaluation and Recommendations

Leaf and 11 co-authors asked 1,500 people what worries them about ABA.

They talked to BCBAs, parents, and autistic adults.

The team wrote down every complaint and grouped them into themes.

The top worry was "old-school" ABA that ignores client choice.

People also said hours are too long, goals feel robotic, and voices of autistic adults are left out.

The paper ends with 12 fixes, such as shorter sessions, play-based teaching, and asking clients what goals matter to them.

Brodhead (2019) first warned that the BACB Code is too quiet on culture.

Leaf et al. (2021) echo that warning and add real voices to prove the point.

Uher et al. (2024) turn the warning into action steps. They show you how to rewrite goals and pick culturally fair targets.

Sivaraman et al. (2020) add a global view. Their review shows telehealth ABA already uses translated sheets and matched trainers—proof the fixes can travel.

You can act today. Cut one table-top drill and add a client-chosen activity. Ask, "Is this goal useful to you?" If the answer is no, swap it. These small moves answer the loudest complaint in Leaf’s paper and build trust fast.