ABA PBS Autism Controversy Profile picture
Oct 2, 2020 6 tweets 8 min read Read on X
@samurai_snake @lnc0 There is no ABA literature on how ABA harms. You can harm in other ways:
neuroclastic.com/2019/03/28/inv…

And the Ethics Code and BCBA task list allows for punishments and aversives. Examples #TodayInABA to follow....1

#ABAharms
@samurai_snake @lnc0 🧐

Electric shocks still happening (JRC argue not to stop, despite FDA saying need to stop by end Sept 20)

Using hunger and food to coerce: ABA research 2020

Slapping kids to stop them moving (Dec 18)...2
@samurai_snake @lnc0 🥸

Forcefeeding in ABA May 19

2018 research deliberately exposing kids to painful noises pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29876921/

Blocking 5 yr old's ear covering, hand/arm flapping and hand/finger posturing onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ja…
@samurai_snake @lnc0 Examples #TodayInABA of enforcing "quiet hands":

Sept 2020 ABA systematic review to stop stimming, including aversives:

Link between ABA literature and violence: repository.cityu.edu/bitstream/hand…

.....4

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More from @abaukdiscussion

Aug 1, 2023
This #ABAresearch paper is sickening #TodayInABA

Arbitrarily defined stereotypy targeted for extinction in a 10 month old baby for:

-Head: 2 or more nods, weaves or shakes
-Body: 2 or more fwd and bkwd motion
with no apparent function

What was this ABA experiment?
Oops we mentioned the “repetitive body movements” but not the “Prolonged visual inspection” stereotypical behaviours which were defined as: /2
“any instance of extension or wrist rotation and flexion of fingers paired with looking at a hand with or without object in it for 2 or more secs…It did not include manipulating toys in a functional manner such as screwing a cup top or rotating a toy to get a better grasp.” /3
Read 9 tweets
Jul 12, 2023
Following the House of Delegates annual meeting, the final resolutions which are a very helpful breakthrough by American Medical Association regarding Applied Behaviour Analysis, which has been removed, are as follows:
(p16-17 )ama-assn.org/system/files/a…
The draft resolutions set out evidence on #ABAharms and controversy and increasing concerns by different communities and
"RESOLVED, That our AMA support research toward the 47 evaluation and the development of interventions and programs for autistic individuals (New HOD Policy)".
and "RESOLVED, That our AMA work with relevant stakeholders to advocate for a comprehensive spectrum of primary and specialty care that recognizes the diversity and personhood of individuals who are neurodivergent, including people with autism (Directive 4 to Take Action"
Read 11 tweets
Jul 10, 2023
The @RussettSchool is for kids with high support, including nonspeaking autism and LD.

Their PBS policy is extremely concerning.

#BehaviourismHarms #ABAharms #PBSFails #DisabilityRights

therussettlearningtrust.co.uk/cheshire/prima…
Upfront it sets the scene about these disabled kiddos who need to learn how to better behave.

The 23 page Introduction para 2 blames the issue of challenging behaviour on their /disability: deficits /unmet needs” and difficulty communicating that need to others”.
Then comes the PBS social role valorisation scene setting statement : to become active and valued members of society as adults, kids need to cope with
- waiting
- being told “no”
- doing non-preferred activity (housework, dentist)
- criticism (judgement, just or unjust)
Read 7 tweets
Jun 16, 2022
@PhillyP3351 @autismspeaks “I had to earn it by interrupting less than a certain number of times. I was so excited.  
We used my love of figurines to help motivate me to learn and become more conscious of my own interrupting”

That is not motivation, but conditioning. Skinner developed that with lab rats.
@PhillyP3351 @autismspeaks “I’m allowed to wait using ….coping strategies and tools, and even hold small toys in my hand. It is considered a success if I wait a certain amount of time without complaining.”

“Allowed to” self Reg?!?!

Success is making others happy, not how you feel.
@PhillyP3351 @autismspeaks “It is done in an effort to make sure that I have the best future possible”

Intent is v different than what is important for an autistic adult life.

Why learn from a person supervised by someone trained only in behaviour mod, and not an autistic org? eg

autisticadvocacy.org/policy/briefs/…
Read 7 tweets
Jan 31, 2021
“ABA itself is not abusive, it’s just how it’s used”.

#ABAharm comes from:

-lack of regulation and disinterest in understanding for who, when or how ABA harms.

- grandiose claims that ABAers have a clue about what is good or bad for autistic development and quality of life...
...So social validity is a huge inherent problem of ABA across the field and also means most ABA does not meet its own definition of ABA.

Back to “ABA in itself is not abuse”. An example of a “hammer” is often given by BCBAs eg McEachin and Leaf & son...
...the trouble is ABA is like studying/supervision on what hammers are, what technical parts and different hammer types are called “hammer speak” and how to document the number of blows and extent to which an item has been pushed in from each blow (the data), but not....
Read 4 tweets
Sep 24, 2020
Some UK ABAers claim

"But ABA is not sold as an autism treatment in the UK, that is just a N. America thing to get State funded."

"ABA is just a teaching method!"

"ABA is like normal parenting!".

Today we will be sharing links here to show such statements are nonsense.
@childautismuk claims ABA is an autism treatment here:

childautism.org.uk/about-autism/c… Image
Read 10 tweets

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