Applied Behavioral Analysis for Autistic Individuals
Role of Corporations
Marketization of Autism
Promoting narratives about autistic individuals being "cured" or "fixed".
Create the problem, sell the solution- organizations which promote ABA often also promote harmful stereotypes about autism.
Research bias in ABA
There is less research on ABA's effects on well-being, especially in the past it was not researched.
A lot of research on ABA focuses on it's effectiveness and efficacy in decreasing "maladaptive" behaviors and increasing "adaptive" behaviors.
The research often gives all credit to ABA for those changes, but it's not clear if that is the case- for example, autistic children often start to speak later, but then they have no problems with speaking, and ABA research often ignors that and claims that ABA teaches children to speak.
Profit Motives
Lower standards for ABA therapists
Since ABA therapists have a lower educational level than other therapists, corporations also pay them less.
Corporations prioritize quality over quantity and require a lower level of education for ABA therapists.
To become an ABA therapist it is enough to be a behavioral technician. Usually to become a therapist higher level of education and training is required (psychology degree). Therefore autistic children may receive a lower level of treatment than other children in different therapies.
The ABA therapy aims to raise productive members of the society, who are going to work and make money, rather than happy people satisfied with their lives.
Under capitalism, the primary goal of therapies and treatments is often to make money, not necessarily to help people.
Role of Government and Regulation
Mandated insurance coverage
For some people in the US it is the only therapy for autism that is covered by insurance.
ABA is usually a mandated insurance coverage.
Lack of Regulation
With so many controversies around ABA, there still is not much regulation of those practices. It is questionable if some of them should even be legal.
Lack of informed consent- parents are usually not educated about the risks that come with the therapy.
Lack of consumer protection- there is no guarantee of receiving compensation for example in case of developing PTSD as a result of ABA.
Ideology
ABA principles
Focused on complience.
ABA only focuses on behavior, it is not concernet with children's thoughts and feelings.
ABA relies on esternal reinforcement and punishment.
Pathologizing difference
There is no space for individuality, children are forced to behave a certain way.
ABA therapy also targets behaviors that are atypical, but completely harmless, such as stimming.
Many psychologists and autistic activists nowadays see autism as a difference, not a disorder, but ABA clearly strictly sees is as a disorder.
Neolibral Values
Well-being is not the most important value- so possible trauma and psychological hurt caused by ABA is not taked seriously.
ABA is a 40 hours a week treatment, which leaves little to no space for children to discover their passions and make friends.
Many autistic adults that went through ABA as children criticize it and think that it is unethical.
ABA is connected to a higher risk of PTSD.
Needing extra support is often seen as something negative.
One of the more important values in a neoliberal society is productivity, and only between 11% and 56% of people diagnosed with autism are employed.
