Considerations for Applied Behavior Analysts Embracing Intersectional Qualitative Research Within the Context of Intervention Research

D’Agostino et al. (2025) wrote a how-to paper for behavior analysts. They say we should add intersectional qualitative steps to our studies. That means asking people about race, gender, and power before we design interventions.

The authors give a checklist. Start with open interviews. Ask families how identity shapes their needs. Then use those stories to pick targets and materials.

The paper does not test kids or measure behavior change. Instead, it argues that adding these interview steps will make ABA more fair and socially valid for marginalized groups.

Klein et al. (2024) surveyed 400 Black and multiracial families. Families said providers often dismissed their concerns. The survey results give real-world proof for the interview steps D’Agostino now urges.

McKenzie et al. (2015) interviewed African American caregivers years earlier. They found that cultural distrust delayed diagnosis. D’Agostino’s framework updates this work by adding gender, class, and other identities into one plan.

Thompson Brown et al. (2026) showed that Black children are less likely to get school autism eligibility when evaluations skip caregiver voices. The new paper answers this gap by telling analysts exactly how to gather those voices.

If you run assessments or design interventions, add a five-minute identity interview before you write goals. Ask, "How does your family talk about autism?" and "What has been hard about services?" Record themes and fold them into your plan. This simple step boosts trust, cuts dropout, and meets the social-validity standard we already track.