#applied-behavior-analysis

[specialsaathi]

APPLIED BEHAVIOUR ANALYSIS (ABA) and AUTISM

Triveni Goswami Vernal(Registered Special Educator A64010)Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is almost synonymous with interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), but it has come into a lot of criticism lately.   So, what is ABA and why has it been criticized? Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is an approach that utilizes behavioural intervention at its core, while working with individuals…

[nonevahed]

After hearing all the "ABA is abusive autistic conversion therapy" stuff, it was facinating running into two austistic ABA therapists at a party. they claimed it wasn't like that at all

They said it was about giving low-functioning autistic children who were unable to communicate, constantly self-harmed and/or lashed out violently, the tools to actually be able to communicate, and stop self-harming, etc. They encouraged stuff like stimming. Tried to give kids both non-verbal and verbal ways of communicating, like pads that could say phrases. one of the therapists was a trans girl who wears a manta ray onesie all the time, has a house filled with stim toys, and constantly infodumped about her interests, she did not seem particularly converted.

maybe it's a case of different clinics having wildly divergent practice? They said standards have changed a lot over the years, the modern methods really only got popular circa ~2010 and a lot of the people talking about ABA online were talking about the old stuff.

[demiboydemon]

Me: Miss Internet, I’ve been having a tough time lately. Could you please show me some relaxation and self care tips for autistic adults?

Internet: you should try ABA to learn to mask better :)

Me: ????

[spookietrex]

My partner works for a university and I've slowly been watching them take down the DEI protections and today they changed their special education specialization to one on ABA and I lost my shit.

[awetistic-things]

awetistic things {1086}

being an autistic girl with an autistic younger brother and constantly being irritated at how unapologetically autistic he’s encouraged to be while you were taught to be not yourself, but a lady, for your entire childhood

[babyspacebatclone]

Fascinating article from a recommendation I got on another of my posts!

The author is Autistic, has a background in psychology, and as the link says is a professional dog trainer.

And she absolutely rips into ABA, right down to their code of ethics:

In fact, in a 24-page document detailing ethical codes of practice for [certified Behavioral Analysts] working with human beings, including children and disabled adults, the word “abuse” is used zero times.

The word “humane” is used zero times.

The word “positive” is used zero times.

[emphasis original]

To sum it up, as Millman so eloquently puts it:

[ABA] it is NOT “dog training” for children.

…I would never treat a dog that way.

[emphasis original]

[theconcealedweapon]

ABA should instead be called ABUSE.

I haven't decided what the letters should stand for.

[yourfourthgradepetrock]

hey! *knocks on your window at 2am, waking you up from a peaceful sleep* hello! *knockknockknock* can I-*slides open your window* have you seen don't hug me I'm scared? doesn't matter, hold on, *contorts my body ungracefully through your window, smacking my head on the frame, lands in a heap on your bedroom floor* everyone talks about--stop yelling, its okay, I go here---how many easter eggs the show has, and the complex "behind-the-scenes" lore *I am now sitting criss-cross applesauce* and how its a metaphor for xyz blah blah blah and that's fine, they're not WRONG, it's just *I pull out a container of hubby bubba bubble gum, cut myself an egregiously long strip, and begin chewing* what about the AUTISM. no one talks, genuinely, about how its so autistic, aside from the "me and the bad bitch I pulled by being autistic" memes. What about yellow guy trying constantly to conform to a society with rules and norms that are contradictory and confusing? what about red guy being awkward and outcast from his family because he acted strange in family gatherings? what about the "lessons" yellow guy has to learn being basically ABA? what about every episode ending in a horrifically overwhelming way reflective of a sensory overload/meltdown? what about--

[chronicsymptomsyndrome]

fuck ABA

that’s all thank you for listening

[neuroscotian]

The usual trigger warnings for child abuse and ableism when talking about Lovaas, now featuring, more Nazis….

"People who do not want “to know” usually find a way not to know. That has been amply shown in histories of Nazi Germany. In terms of the histories of autistic people and those who treat them, most of us have chosen not to know."

[...]

Those who work in the multibillion-dollar ABA industry will undoubtedly deny the relevance of his Nazi past. It is not far-fetched, however, to see some ideological continuity between Lovaas’s teenage years and his adulthood. Consider how Lovaas addressed parents of autistic children in his 1981 book: “No one has the right to be taken care of, no matter how retarded he is.” Children, Lovaas insisted, “have no right to act bizarrely, many professional opinions notwithstanding. On the contrary, you have a right to expect decent behavior from your children.”

[thechosenanubis]

Nina is actually a better person than people give her credit for. Like at the beginning of S1, I had the same scenario with Patricia happen to me: new girl at a new school, trying to make friends, and this other girl in my class didn't like my ~vibes~ or whatever and started saying nasty stuff and trying to isolate me. (thankfully in my case no close friends were kidnapped by secret societies in search for eternal life 💀 ) So not only i can sympathize with her situation, but even relate to it.

And what I don't see talked about enough is ( or if people did, I haven't seen those posts) calling out Patricia's behavior for what it really was: bullying. Keep in mind here, that I understand where Patricia's behavior is coming from, since she's being gaslit like crazy. But that still doesn't make her behaviour towards Nina acceptable or excusable.

And I wouldn't have blamed Nina if she refused to accept Patricia's apology, because is not a victim's responsability ( only their choice) to forgive their bully.

Still, Nina forgave Patricia because she's good like that ( and probably didn't want to break the already fragile ecosystem of the house with more hostility even if it was within her right to keep a grudge and refuse Patricia's apology. )

What i'm trying to say, Nina is a good person, flawed but good.

Thanks for coming to my TED Talk.

[azorious-saber-cat]

Disappointing to see that nobody at the upcoming career fair is looking for anyone from my major

Especially disappointing to see how many ABA therapist jobs are being offered, and I'm not seeing any alternative approaches to autism care

ABA really just strikes me as conversion therapy for autistic and neurodivergent kids, sacrificing the patient's mental health for the comfort and convenience of the neurotypical people in their lives

[willowreach]

The Future of ABA Therapy: Trends & Innovations in Center-Based Care (2025 Guide)

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This PDF provides parents, professionals, and caregivers with insights into how today's leading centers are redesigning autism support—making care more compassionate, engaging, and effective. From individualized treatment plans to immersive learning environments, discover the forward-thinking practices that are shaping the future of ABA therapy.

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[takami-takami]

ABA CENTER SIGN?!?!? THIS IS AWFUL. I WILL BRING THIS UP W MY SUPERVISOR HERE ONCE I AM SITUATED. What the hell. Like. What is the point of a sensory room in the office when you're gonna advertise ABA THERAPY in the fucking front desk. Fuck you.

[windor-truffle]

research for 2hcb1 is like 30 percent revisiting canon lore and 70 percent watching therapy videos because *gestures vaguely at Lambda and Asbel* you've got a lot to unpack there, huh 😅

[babyspacebatclone]

@autistic-af

I wanted to reply to your tags on that one post for the article about the (lack of) efficacy of ABA. It’s me, though, so this is going to be a wall of text and out of respect I’m not adding this to the notes of an important thread.

I believe you when you say your parents truly, and with the best compassion in the world, believed the therapy you went to as a child was “beneficial.”

Success for these kinds of treatments are measured on three different types of outcomes

Usefulness and comfort to the patient.

Usefulness and reduction of effort to the parents or other people in direct authority to patient.

Matching the expected behaviors of the surrounding culture - that is, “fits in.”

Traditionally, sadly, the primary viewpoint of ABA therapy is that achieving success in points 2 and 3 obviously means success for point 1.

I mean, obviously.

…..

Except in the wealth of experiences from other minority groups, look at (non radical) feminism and replace “parents” with “spouse” for point 2 for an easy case study.

The thing is, “fitting in” with “expected behaviors” and making life “easier” for the people in authority over you….

Doesn’t actually mean you’re living your best life.

Just that you’re not upsetting the people with power.

Now, and this is important, society as a whole lies about this.

We see this regularly, of course, and there’s never ending cycles of pushback between disenfranchised groups and the existing status quo over this.

But even seeing it play out in our own lives… If you do manage to at least break even in the status quo, it’s easy to slip into the complacency of believing the lie of “fitting in.”

That of your child who is struggling just - stops looking like they’re struggling, obviously they’re doing better.

The sad thing is, however, ABA and related philosophies sees “stops struggling” as the end goal.

It doesn’t matter why the patient has “stopped,” it just matters that it happens.

Compliancy, over actual healing.

And so, the patients are literally forced to lie for self protection.

You can’t show struggling, because you’re only going to be punished more for struggling.

You have to accept being broken, as the only alternative to being regularly hurt on top of being broke.

And parents who mean well? Parents we love, who honestly want the best for us, who we see hurting when we are hurting?????????

Well, one thing ABA teaches is how to lie about suffering.

And so, while it was happening, a child in ABA has every single reason in the universe to not tell their loving, well meaning parents that that are being made to hate themselves.

And this ends up with neurotypical people in authority - especially Applied Behavior Analysts- to think it worked.

Achieving compliance meant success, so obviously the patient is also now able to lead their best life.

Which is also why people who do mean well but have been experiencing the system from the professional end honestly believe it has been helpful, and the people complaining are either an insignificant minority or have ulterior motives.

Success was achieved. They saw it.

You have to convince them that, well….

Testimonies under torture usually can’t be trusted.