Trauma-informed care has become an increasingly important topic in behavioral and healthcare services, yet opinions within the ABA community about its role vary widely. This keynote presentation by Adithyan Rajaraman addresses the intersection of trauma, challenging behavior, and applied behavior analysis, seeking to bring clarity and balance to a discussion that has sometimes generated more heat than light.
Provider: BehaviorLive — via Oregon Association for Behavior Analysis
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Join Free →Discussions about trauma and trauma-informed care (TIC) are becoming more common in behavioral and healthcare services, especially when working with individuals who exhibit severe challenging behaviors like aggression, self-injury, elopement, or property destruction. However, opinions on this topic vary widely as some believe TIC should be a bigger part of ABA services, while others worry it is unnecessary or even harmful. This talk aims to bring clarity and balance to the discussion. First, the presenter will define trauma and explore key facts to show why it matters in supporting individuals who exhibit severe challenging behavior. Next, they will introduce four core commitments of TIC and how they can be incorporated into ABA services. The presenter will also address common concerns and questions about trauma and TIC, including differing viewpoints within the field. Finally, they will discuss practical, research-based strategies that combine behavioral principles with a trauma-informed approach to handling behavioral crises. By the end of this talk, attendees will have the knowledge and confidence to advocate for TIC in behavioral and healthcare services and in conversations with colleagues, caregivers, and clients.
| Certification Body | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|
| BACB® | 2 | Ethics |
Dithu is a Licensed, Doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst providing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services, conducting research, and teaching for over 15 years. His professional experiences span multiple related domains, including trauma-informed care, neurodiversity-affirming services, practical functional assessments, and choice- and skill-based interventions addressing severe behavior. He has co-authored over 20 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters on these topics.
Dig into the research behind this topic — plain-English summaries written for BCBAs.
279 research articles with practitioner takeaways
258 research articles with practitioner takeaways
256 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.