The neurodiversity paradigm has fundamentally challenged behavior analysts to examine the assumptions, goals, and methods that underlie their practice. Rather than viewing neurological differences as deficits to be remediated, the neurodiversity framework recognizes that human brains naturally vary in their structure and function, and that these variations represent different ways of being rather than disordered versions of a single norm.
Provider: BehaviorLive — via Tennessee Association for Behavior Analysis
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Join Free →Instead of viewing brains as abnormal or "broken," neurodiversity supports the idea that people with mental and neurodevelopmental disabilities have differently wired brains or neurotypes, each with their own strengths and areas of need (Singer, 1998; Lerner et al., 2023). Currently, neurodivergent students graduating from high school are facing grim life outcomes and experience social isolation and difficulties with employment and higher education, which can lead to mental health concerns including depression and suicidal ideation (Seo et al., 2015; Dwyer, 2021). The fields of disability studies and special education have responded to these concerns with a set of evidence-based practices under the umbrella of self-determination. These practices emphasize that education be student-led, with professionals serving as valuable resources and providing guidance through the student's journey (McDonald et al., 2022). Despite the self-determination research showing many positive benefits that counter the formerly mentioned problems, many practitioners in education and related fields are often not implementing self-determination practices. Concerningly, studies have shown that practitioners in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) avoid using self-determination practices due to concerns about self-determination lacking observable and measurable practices and being too abstract to implement (Peterson, et al., 2021) This talk (a) aims to define what self-determination is and is not and (b) demonstrate how it does align with evidence-based ABA practices. Attendees will learn about the importance of incorporating self-determination in ABA practices across all settings, why this is important, and the ethical considerations tied to the BACB's guidelines.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | Ethics |
Jordan Brooks is a registered behavior technician (RBT) at TRIAD, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center's autism institute. Jordan holds a special education teaching license in the state of Tennessee and is aspiring to become a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA). He is also an autistic self-advocate and focuses his research on the Neurodiversity Paradigm and the different ways it can be applied to practice such disability services, education, employment as well as other research avenues in neurodivergent leadership and neurodivergent-affirming self-determination.
Dig into the research behind this topic — plain-English summaries written for BCBAs.
280 research articles with practitioner takeaways
279 research articles with practitioner takeaways
258 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.