Author Archives: Staff

In light of the recent #metoo movement and our society becoming more and more aware of the importance of consent, concerns are rapidly arising about ABA’s lack of consent.  ABA does not require the consent of the child. Behavior analysts frequently disregard a child’s bodily autonomy by restraining or touching them without their permission. WeContinue reading “ABA and the refusal to teach children about consent”

In today’s anti-autistic behavior climate, early intensive intervention is considered the gold standard for autism care. Often, the very first conversation a parent has with a physician when their child is diagnosed with autism is the conversation about enrolling their child into as many early intervention programs as possible, and specifically, enrolling their children intoContinue reading “Is the “gold standard” too much for such young children?”

ABA therapy and dog training both largely stem from the same principles- teaching children or dogs to behave in a desired manner by reinforcing preferred behaviors and discouraging other behaviors. Because of their similarities, many people argue that ABA is harmful because it is akin to dog training. Survey results obtained from 221 autistic andContinue reading “Is ABA really like “Dog Training for Humans” ?”

Applied Behavior Analysis is considered the “gold standard” of care for autistic people in the United States and many other countries globally, but many people feel that ABA is abusive and harmful. Based on theories of operant conditioning and radical behaviorism, ABA techniques are aimed at changing behaviors through reward and punishment. “ABA therapists enforceContinue reading “what is Applied Behavior Analysis, and why is it so terrible?”