Sex, Drugs, and...Behavior Analysis?

The author wrote a short opinion piece. No kids were tested. No data were taken.

He asked one question: why does the public only picture ABA when they think of autism class-rooms?

He urged readers to market adult services like sex-ed classes and drug-use counseling.

The field’s image is stuck on children and schools.

Adult areas need behavior analysts, yet few BCBAs advertise there.

Re-branding could open new jobs and help more people.

Tantam et al. (1993) made a similar plea thirty years earlier. They told BCBAs to partner with pediatricians so families would see ABA as a health service, not just a school extra.

White (1978) went even wider. He said behaviorists should re-design whole hospital and city systems instead of only teaching one child at a time.

Allen et al. (2024) carry the torch forward. They do not talk about new clients; they tell you how to treat current clients with respect—using identity-first language and assent. All three papers share one theme: grow or update the field. Each picks a different lever—population, system, or ethics.

If you feel boxed into autism clinics, this paper gives you talking points for your next referral call. Tell a rehab center you can run a contingency-contract group for adults quitting opioids. Tell a college you can shape safer sex choices with behavioral skills training. One pitch can land a new contract and widen your impact.