Support for LAist comes from
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Stay Connected
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen

Share This

Health

How To Know If Applied Behavior Analysis Or Alternative Treatments Are Best For Your Child With Autism

A photo depicting 3 hands. Two hands, belong to an adult, separately cover two sheets of paper. A child's hand can be found off to the side of the two.
An ABA "Applied Behavior Analysis" practitioner works with a child.
(
FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images
/
AFP
)

With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive. 

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a type of therapy that can be used to treat a variety of different behaviors, but its most common application is as a form of therapy for people with autism.

ABA research dates back to the 1950s, with its official certification starting in 1998. Today, ABA is the only method of intervention for autism that is approved for coverage by insurance providers and Medicaid in every state. But as many experts on autism and ABA therapy will tell you, a singular therapy can't be a one-size-fits-all proposition, even though ABA is seen by many practitioners as a flexible approach.

Finding out the best approach for your child or loved one on the autism spectrum can be overwhelming and leave parents and caregivers unsure of how to best assist.

There are a wide range of perspectives on ABA therapy and its utility as therapy for people with autism, so LAist talked with experts with a range of perspectives on the utility of ABA and what alternatives exist out there if you feel ABA isn't the right approach.

Support for LAist comes from

An increase in cases and a growing understanding of autism

"When I was in graduate school, autism occurred in 1 in 2,500 individuals... today it's 1 in 36," said Dr. Jan Blacher, research professor of education and psychology at UC Riverside.

The explanation for the rising cases, she said, came from the medical community's changing understanding of what autism is.

Originally, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) defined autism as someone who exhibits restrictive, repetitive behavior and deficits in social interactions.

Though this was an established notion for decades, a growing concern became prevalent as more varying cases of autism were diagnosed over the years.

"Instead of just thinking of autism as individuals with an intellectual impairment, no adaptive skills, no language, no communication... we had a lot of children that were very bright, IQs way above range, they spoke and they had some adaptive skills," Blacher said. "And yet, the same intervention procedures were used with all of them."

Support for LAist comes from

What to know about the critiques

The idea that ABA can be traumatic for patients goes back to Ole Ivar Lovaas, a clinical psychologist and pioneer in ABA research who incorporated slaps and electric shocks in his work.

"I will say that Lovaas is often quoted as using punishments and aversives, which are unacceptable," said Dr. Sneha Kohli Mathur, an ABA practitioner and psychology professor at USC. "However, if you look at the history of ABA, it goes way back to B.F. Skinner in the 1950s, [where] the goal [had] always been to help people thrive in their lives, not to assimilate or behave normally or neurotypically."

Mathur said if possible, it's important for the autistic person to be consulted about the kind of therapy and intervention they're receiving, because uncommunicative parents can sometimes ignore or overcorrect behaviors.

"[It's about] figuring out what's important to them to work on, teaching self advocacy skills and emotional regulation and skills related to safety or health, not focusing on compliance as has been the issue in the past. I recognize that a lot of autistic folks have been through traumatic experiences with ABA and I don't want to be dismissive of that," said Mathur.

And that can lead to a lack of trust in child-parent relationships, or make kids feel they aren't "good enough," said Zoe Gross, director of advocacy for the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN).

"Doing what's called camouflaging autism, or purposefully masking your autistic traits... is associated with increased likelihood of suicidal ideation, as well as anxiety, depression, and stress," Gross added.

Support for LAist comes from

Alternatives and self-advocacy

For those seeking alternative treatments, Gross stressed that therapy assessments should be set on a practitioner-to-practitioner basis.

"There's occupational therapy [or] speech-language therapy that can be used to teach either oral speech or the use of communication devices," Gross said.

ASAN has a guide for those looking to evaluate practitioners and whether their intentions align with a family's specific goals. They also offer guides for self-advocating with insurance providers.

In California, awareness of this conversation surrounding the effectiveness of ABA as an autism intervention led to the proposal of a law to expand available treatments for kids in the state with autism. The legislation, Senate Bill 805, was signed into law last October.

"What we want to see in the end is people with better options, helping them learn self-advocacy, about their disability, and how to navigate the world with it," Gross said.

Listen to the conversation

Listen 27:45
Is It Time To Move Away From ABA Therapy To Treat Autism?

Support for LAist comes from

At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.

But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.

We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.

Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist