The history of the autism diagnosis is not merely an academic curiosity but a living ethical narrative that continues to influence how behavior analysts understand, assess, and serve autistic individuals today. The diagnostic construct of autism has been shaped by the work of Leo Kanner, Hans Asperger, and Lorna Wing, each of whom contributed foundational ideas while operating within social and political contexts that raise significant ethical questions for contemporary practitioners.
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Join Free →In 1981, UK psychiatrist Lorna Wing brought an obscure German paper on autism, published in 1944, to the world's attention. Austrian physician Hans Asperger had described the new psycho-social childhood disorder, autism, which had been introduced to the world only one year before by Leo Kanner's 1943 seminal paper, "Austic disturbances of affective contact". Asperger's article, written in German during the height of WW II, had been mostly forgotten. Wing cited Asperger's work, especially relating to the autistic behaviors exhibited by some higher functioning children, as she introduced the idea of autism as a spectrum of disorders with differing etiologies. Wing went on to describe a highly verbal form of autism for which she coined the term, "Asperger's Syndrome". Since that time, the known history of Asperger's work (and his possible connection to Kanner) has gone through several revisions as new historical records have been unearthed. Our most recent understanding poses several serious ethical questions relating to both proper scientific credit (Code Element 6.08) and more importantly, three core principles of the Code, "Benefit Others", "Treat Others with Compassion, Dignity, and Respect", and "Behave with Integrity". In this paper and the discussion that follows, we will explore the ethical issues that can arise in a rapidly changing cultural environment, and the impact those issues can have on the scientific approach to the study of human behavior.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 1 | Ethics |
| COA | 1 | — |
| FL MH/PSY | 1 | — |
Thomas began working as a behavior analyst at The Fernald State School in Massachusetts in 1979. He received his MS in ABA from the Florida Institute of Technology in 2000. He has worked for ABA Technologies Inc. since 2000 (originally under the direction of Dr. Jose Martinez-Diaz), where he has provided curriculum content and student assessment materials primarily for the Florida Tech online ABA program. He has taught ABA courses internationally, and provided a range of CE and other online presentations. He worked as an Area Behavior Analyst for the State of Florida from 2000 to 2010. Prior to moving to Florida in 1995, Tom participated in a range of wild animal behavioral research, including nnine years on the wild humpback whale research project for the Kewalo Basin Marine Mammal Lab at the University of Hawaii, where he served as field director in his last two years. He was lead author for the chapter, "Ethical and professional responsibilities of applied behavior analysts" in Cooper, Heron, and Heward, eds., (2020) Applied Behavior Analysis, 3rd ed. He recently co-authored an article on the future of NCR (awaiting review) and is close to completing a guide for behavior analysts on how to effectively coordinate with prescribing physicians in the management of psychotropic medication.
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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.