The neurodiversity movement has presented the field of Applied Behavior Analysis with one of its most important challenges and opportunities. Criticisms from the autistic community continue to grow in volume and sophistication, questioning whether ABA practices genuinely serve the interests of autistic individuals or whether they impose neurotypical standards at the expense of autistic wellbeing.
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Join Free →Criticisms of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) from the autistic community continue to flourish and have an appreciable impact on research, practice, and conversation in stakeholder groups. ABA providers aspire to increase quality of life for autistic people; thus, it is imperative for providers to listen with humility and openness to the population we serve. Autistic individuals have unparalleled expertise in their own lives and their own communities. The concerns raised by the autistic community cannot, morally or ethically, be swept aside and devalued due to the speaker's identification as autistic or due to their difference in professional credentials. The concept of neurodiversity can help the ABA field respond to these concerns and collaborate with the largest stakeholders of our services, the autistic clients we serve. This presentation summarizes some of the key criticisms that autistic self-advocates raise concerning ABA, discusses the social model of disability and the neurodiversity paradigm, and proposes practical guidance to help the field of ABA integrate neurodiversity and thereby evolve our research and practice. By openly acknowledging the criticisms against ABA and recognizing how we can do better as a field, we believe we can take a step in the right direction, towards a profession and a society that more fully embraces inclusion.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | Ethics |
Sneha Kohli Mathur considers herself an ally to the disability and autism communities. She is a BCBA, has a Bachelors and Masters degree in Psychology, and a Doctorate in Education and Disability Studies. She currently is a faculty member at the University of Southern California (USC), where she teaches ABA Masters courses and undergraduate psychology courses related to neurodiversity. Sneha is the co-author of Understanding the Lived Experiences of Autistic Adults, which she co-wrote with Adam, an autistic adult. What makes Sneha’s research, teaching, and consulting unique is her expertise in two very distinct areas, ABA and disability studies. She is able to layout behaviorally supported practices within a caring social-model context and neurodiversity affirming care.
Dig into the research behind this topic — plain-English summaries written for BCBAs.
279 research articles with practitioner takeaways
239 research articles with practitioner takeaways
224 research articles with practitioner takeaways
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All behavior-analytic intervention is individualized. The information on this page is for educational purposes and does not constitute clinical advice. Treatment decisions should be informed by the best available published research, individualized assessment, and obtained with the informed consent of the client or their legal guardian. Behavior analysts are responsible for practicing within the boundaries of their competence and adhering to the BACB Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts.