the current outside-of-ABA research into ABA and use it as the starting platform for a path that leads us back to humanity. I wish I could afford to purchase everything but no can do. It does suggest, however, that while it isn’t correct to claim that all verbal disabilities are due to a motor condition (an overly sweeping claim, and one that people in the FC field probably made because their careers were born in a climate in which claiming nonverbal people had much of a mind at all was deemed unscientific) it is also incorrect to say it’s always a language or cognitive disability, especially when we know people exist even at the genius level who cannot move their bodies – and that’s the thing, if geniuses can exist who are unable to move their bodies, it stands to reason there are many more people who cannot move their bodies or can’t reliably control body movement who are of average intelligence or otherwise not severely intellectually disabled. Because I was planning on sitting for the August exam (as my testing window expires at the end of November), Sarah had reached out to me and many other multi-test takers. By ending ABA, you are calling for the endangerment of severely autistic children and adults who need behavioral therapy so that they don’t run out into the streets and end up dying. Write your own questions for the sake of getting feedback. Autism $peaks is one of the worst offenders of violating the preferences of autistic adults and is generally viewed poorly by autistics. When we work toward collaboration with our clients directly, we actively work against this discrimination with treatment that ABA perpetuates. If you are looking to become a BCBA, ABC provides numerous opportunities to gain hours and experience on your journey through planning, assessments and supervisions to name a few. sports for a boy or drama shows/fashion for a girl) and not had your posture or movements micromanaged into perfectly polished positions in which not the slightest gesture could be made and you had to aim to stand 100% still, either. I'll admit I don't know a ton about BCBA. People who meditate have a more active anterior cingulate cortex (an area of the brain associated with self-regulation). What. That is how much I love having a checklist. It is exciting to come in to work every day and be around people working toward the same goal: improving the lives of children with Autism. Becoming a BCBA is important to ensure that more children are receiving the most effective intervention, instead of "fads." Have we thought critically about doing that? I am glad I found the Rouge group and plan to attend all the zoom sessions. And it’s quite funny you mention ABA therapists holding autistic children’s hands and forcing them to type, because that’s exactly what FC entails. I was able to understand them a lot quicker, but was it enough for me to pass? There is an abundance of research across many fields (neurology, psychology, medicine, etc.) We provide parent training/parent coaching, and work to help you become and remain experts of your child’s ABA program. Actual lessons which could lead to new behavioral issues down the road. We tell critics: “I don’t do that, I do good ABA,” (#notallABA)– while turning a blind eye and refusing to take ANY ACTION. Sadly, it was still a very slow process to learn to listen in the way a true ally would. Parent Training: The BCBA works to help you and wants to ensure that we are providing a very thorough picture of your child’s strengths and weaknesses and how you can help your child when not in therapy. If it is news to you that the overwhelming majority of autistic people prefer identity-first language (despite virtually all of them being told by others that the way they prefer to be referenced is wrong and the “right” is way person-first language), I would challenge you to honestly consider how much interaction you actually have with any autistic people. Extinction (including planned ignoring) goes against what all the research is showing us about child and human development. Take time for yourself, do what you enjoy doing and what you like. #aba #appliedbehavioranalysis #bfskinner #bcba. I was ashamed of my diagnosis growing up. By that logic, it is a surprise that you are here. Heaven forbid if someone uses “negative reinforcement” improperly around a BCBA because you’ll get a pedantic lecture– but we resist identity-first language (autistic, as opposed to “person with autism”) as if it matters more what we prefer instead of (once again) caring what the main population we work with wants. Editor’s note: As an publication, we have been critical of ABA therapy for autistic children. ABA therapists commonly run plans on autistic and other disabled people that they have not bothered explaining to the children– this is exponentially worse if the child is non-speaking. The reason ABA seems to find evidence of it “working” is they don’t bother to study internal states, even though they are doing their practices on a lot of people who can be asked. Then I woke up at 3:45 AM the day of, had my exam at 8, finished in an hour and a half, and failed. that tells us emotions, emotional regulation, sensory processing, self calming, etc. Yes, this happens; how many times do ABA professionals encourage traditional gender roles in children under the guise of social skills? However, an almost-universal hallmark in ABA as applied to autistic people is that programs for behavior modification are built without ever considering the consent or wishes of the actual person. ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) being implemented by BCBAs is a terrifying prospect. There is abundant research on trauma and the effects of chronic stress on a child’s threat system. I developed a breadth of experience, and with every experience I gained, I grew more and more disenchanted by ABA. It brought back many wonderful memories, and I wanted to make a career out of it. Or even worse, these techniques are used to make parents ignore their own feelings of trauma and pain when being told to use ABA strategies with their children. Just as there is a need to collaborate better with other partners and seek to incorporate scientific research that originates outside of the ABA world, we must collaborate with our clients, especially our disabled clients. Thank you for sharing. I have been a BCBA (board certified behavior analyst) for over 10 years. Science evolves. We should not fear to have open, honest, and especially critical conversations about the state of the profession. If I were an adult with skin picking, suicidal ideation, and anxiety, and I went to a provider for treatment, I would have tremendous say on which of these issues were addressed, how we address them, when, where, and in what way they would be treated. And as for life skills in general, either those are simple enough that people could learn them via watching, simple instructions, and practice, or they are too complex to be taught via operant (which yes, I also know is called instrumental) conditioning. If a BCBA does anything unethical, you can let the board know and it will be dealt with. Participate in the daily challenges, write your own questions, quiz a friend, have a friend quiz you. Why are we waving them away with meaningless platitudes: “We have heard you, and we are changing”? All of the BCBAs I know support ABA therapy. Social media is awash with these scenarios repeating over and over. of the BACB (specifically sections 6 and 8, since the code engenders fear about speaking out against ABA). In the end, the therapists will get their data and call this child “improved” as the girl has given up. 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