Ethical Concerns with Applied Behavior Analysis for Autism Spectrum “Disorder”
Wilkenfeld, D. A. & McCarthy, A. M. (2020). Ethical Concerns with Applied Behavior Analysis for Autism Spectrum “Disorder”. Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal, 30(1), 31-69. https://doi.org/10.1353/ken.2020.0000
This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:
Authors
Abstract
This paper has both theoretical and practical ambitions. The theoretical ambitions are to explore what would constitute both effective and ethical treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, the practical ambition is perhaps more important: we argue that a dominant form of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which is widely taken to be far-and-away the best "treatment" for ASD, manifests systematic violations of the fundamental tenets of bioethics. Moreover, the supposed benefits of the treatment not only fail to mitigate these violations, but often exacerbate them. Warnings of the perils of ABA are not original to us-autism advocates have been ringing this bell for some years. However, their pleas have been largely unheeded, and ABA continues to be offered to and quite frequently pushed upon parents as the appropriate treatment for autistic children. Our contribution is to argue that, from a bioethical perspective, autism advocates are fully justified in their concerns-the rights of autistic children and their parents are being regularly infringed upon. Specifically, we will argue that employing ABA violates the principles of justice and nonmaleficence and, most critically, infringes on the autonomy of children and (when pushed aggressively) of parents as well.
Bibliography cited by this reference
Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.
Bibliography inclusion overview
These indicators describe the cited bibliography imported for this publication. Cited-reference metrics use the cited-reference total as denominator. Cited-author metrics state whether they use all cited-author occurrences or only occurrences linked to authors already integrated in the AutiHub database. They use cached links between cited authors and authors integrated in the AutiHub database. Last computed: 16 Aug 2026 11:31.
-
Ernest Kilzer , B. F. Skinner (1953). Science and Human Behavior . The American Catholic Sociological Review, 14(2), 121. JSTOR.OpenAlex
-
Gerald Dworkin (1988). The nature of autonomy . In The Theory and Practice of Autonomy (pp. 3-20). Cambridge University Press.OpenAlex
-
Anita Silvers (2003). On the possibility and desirability of constructing a neutral conception of disability . Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics, 24(6), 471-487. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.OpenAlex
-
Beauchamp, Tom L. , Childress, James F. (2012). Principles of Biomedical Ethics . In Thieves of Virtue. The MIT Press.OpenAlex
-
Amy Mullin (2014). Children, Paternalism and the Development of Autonomy . Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, 17(3), 413-426. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.OpenAlex
-
Beth A. Pfeiffer , Kristie Koenig , Moya Kinnealey , Megan Sheppard , Lorrie Henderson (2011). Effectiveness of Sensory Integration Interventions in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Pilot Study . American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 65(1), 76-85. SAGE Publications.OpenAlex
-
Neil Levy (2014). Forced to be free? Increasing patient autonomy by constraining it . Journal of Medical Ethics, 40(5), 293-300. BMJ.OpenAlex
-
Betty M. Repacholi , Alison Gopnik (1997). Early reasoning about desires: Evidence from 14- and 18-month-olds. Developmental Psychology, 33(1), 12-21. American Psychological Association (APA).OpenAlex
-
Roseann Schaaf , Teal Benevides , Zoe Mailloux , Patricia Faller , Joanne Hunt , Elke van Hooydonk et al. (2013). An Intervention for Sensory Difficulties in Children with Autism: A Randomized Trial . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(1), 1493. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.OpenAlex
-
Caitlin M. Conner , Susan W. White (2018). Brief Report: Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy of Individual Mindfulness Therapy for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(1), 290-300. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.OpenAlex
-
Joseph Stramondo (2017). Disabled by Design: Justifying and Limiting Parental Authority to Choose Future Children with Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis . Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal, 27(4), 475-500. Project MUSE.OpenAlex
-
Maria K. Makrygianni , Angeliki Gena , Sofia Katoudi , Petros Galanis (2018). The effectiveness of applied behavior analytic interventions for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A meta-analytic study . Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 51, 18-31. Elsevier BV.OpenAlex
-
Alison Gopnik (2012). The Gardener and the Carpenter: What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children .Type: Book OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2889107992OpenAlex
-
Joel Feinberg (2015). The Child's Right to an Open Future . In Justice, Politics, and the Family (pp. 145-160). Routledge.OpenAlex
-
Sarah Cassidy , K. Gould , E. Townsend , Mirabel Pelton , Ashley Robertson , Jacqui Rodgers (2020). Is Camouflaging Autistic Traits Associated with Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviours? Expanding the Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide in an Undergraduate Student Sample . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 50(10), 3638-3648. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.OpenAlex
-
(2013). Position Statement on Therapies Focused on Attempts to Change Sexual Orientation (Reparative or Conversion Therapies) . In Ex-Gay Research (pp. 51-56). Routledge.OpenAlex
-
Silberman S (2016). Neurotribes: the legacy of autism and the future of neurodiversity . Choice Reviews Online, 53(08), 53-3753-53-3753. American Library Association.OpenAlex