Affirming Neurodiversity within Applied Behavior Analysis.

Criticisms of applied behavior analysis (ABA) from the autistic community continue to intensify and have an appreciable impact on research, practice, and conversation in stakeholder groups. ABA providers aspire to increase quality of life for autistic people; thus, it is imperative for providers to listen with humility and openness to the population we serve. Autistic individuals have unparalleled expertise in their own lives and their own communities. The concerns raised by the autistic community cannot, morally or ethically, be swept aside. There may be a misguided and harmful tendency to devalue concerns due to the speaker's identification as autistic or due to their difference in professional credentials. The concept of neurodiversity can help the ABA field respond to these concerns and collaborate with the largest stakeholders of our services, the autistic clients we serve. This article summarizes some of the key criticisms that autistic advocates raise concerning ABA, discusses the social model of disability and the neurodiversity paradigm, and proposes practical guidance to help the field of ABA integrate neurodiversity and thereby evolve our research and practice. By openly acknowledging the criticisms against ABA and recognizing how we can do better as a field, we believe we can take practical steps towards a profession and a society that more fully embraces inclusion.

Cultural Responsiveness Curriculum for Behavior Analysts: A Meaningful Step Toward Social Justice.

Clients of applied behavior analysis (ABA), specifically Black, Indigenous, and people of color receiving treatment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), regularly experience the effects of systemic racism via biases in the health care system. ABA as a science offers the necessary tools to support immediate, concrete actions to bring about social justice. This article offers a brief conceptual framework of critical race theory (CRT); cultural competence, responsiveness, and humility; and social justice concepts. Applications to health care are offered, addressing including systemic racism and implicit bias, along with points of personal reflection. These conceptual frameworks are synthesized in support of a cultural responsiveness curriculum, rooted in the tenets of CRT and cultural competence trainings in neighboring disciplines, that we offer as an immediate, actionable step that Board Certified Behavior Analysts can take today to broaden their perspective and proficiency. The prospective benefits of this work include effecting change in access to and outcomes of behavior-analytic services, particularly for the treatment of ASD in marginalized communities.

Developing Employment Environments Where Individuals with ASD Thrive: Using Machine Learning to Explore Employer Policies and Practices.

An online survey instrument was developed to assess employers' perspectives on hiring job candidates with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The investigators used K-means clustering to categorize companies in clusters based on their hiring practices related to individuals with ASD. This methodology allowed the investigators to assess and compare the various factors of businesses that successfully hire employees with ASD versus those that do not. The cluster analysis indicated that company structures, policies and practices, and perceptions, as well as the needs of employers and employees, were important in determining who would successfully hire individuals with ASD. Key areas that require focused policies and practices include recruitment and hiring, training, accessibility and accommodations, and retention and advancement.