Listening with Humility:Lessons Learned from a Dialogue with Scholars from Critical Autism Studies

Authors

Abstract

The field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) appears to be at an inflection point where we are experiencing substantial criticism from the autistic community. We as a field can choose to defend our field from the criticism or we can choose to listen and be responsive to it. Some early forays into discussing the implications of neurodiversity for ABA have been fruitful (Veneziano & Shea, 2023; Mathur et al., 2024) and it seems clear that the time for direct dialogue between ABA scientist practitioners and some of our greatest critics has come. Suckle et al. (2025) described one side of a recent dialogue between scholars of ABA and Critical Autism Studies (CAS), in which CAS scholars posed questions to ABA scholars and ABA scholars answered them. That article was explicitly composed for a disability studies audience and accordingly published in a disability studies journal. The current article describes the other side of that dialogue, in which ABA scholars posed questions to CAS scholars, who then provided their answers. The current article is explicitly written for the ABA researcher and practitioner audience. We may not feel entirely comfortable with some of the criticisms of ABA that come from CAS scholars but we believe that willingness to experience this discomfort is a critical prerequisite for our field to evolve. This article explores how our field can engage in cross-disciplinary collaboration and concludes with potential actionable steps that ABA researchers and practitioners can put into practice today.

1. Maria R. Ruiz (1998). Personal agency in feminist theory: Evicting the illusive dweller . The Behavior Analyst, 21(2), 179-192. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

   Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/bf03391962 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W197280538

   Crossref OpenAlex
2. Lauren Lestremau Allen , Leanna S. Mellon , Noor Syed , Joy F. Johnson , Armando J. Bernal (2026). Neurodiversity-Affirming Applied Behavior Analysis . Behavior Analysis in Practice, 19(1), 302-324. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

   Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s40617-024-00918-0 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4393158393

   Crossref OpenAlex
3. Jennifer R. Ledford , Emilie Hall , Emily Conder , Justin D. Lane (2016). Research for Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders . Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 35(4), 223-233. SAGE Publications.

   Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/0271121415585956 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W585387488

   Crossref OpenAlex
4. G Allport (1954). The nature of prejudice . The nature of prejudice.

   Type: Other

   Crossref
5. Gregory P. Hanley (2010). Toward Effective and Preferred Programming: A Case for the Objective Measurement of Social Validity with Recipients of Behavior-Change Programs . Behavior Analysis in Practice, 3(1), 13-21. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

   Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/bf03391754 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W1596757121

   Crossref OpenAlex
6. González Moreno, Andrés Santiago (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . American Psychiatric Association.

   Type: Book DOI: 10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4247665917

   Crossref OpenAlex
7. Montrose M. Wolf (1978). SOCIAL VALIDITY: THE CASE FOR SUBJECTIVE MEASUREMENT or HOW APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS IS FINDING ITS HEART 1 . Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 11(2), 203-214. Wiley.

   Type: Article DOI: 10.1901/jaba.1978.11-203 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2020279449

   Crossref OpenAlex
8. Autism Commission on Quality. (n.d.). ACQ applied behavior analysis accreditation program standards and guide (Version 1. 0). https://autismcommission.org/standards/

   Type: Other

   Crossref
9. B. F. Skinner (1945). The operational analysis of psychological terms. Psychological Review, 52(5), 270-277. American Psychological Association (APA).

   Type: Article DOI: 10.1037/h0062535 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2038328248

   Crossref OpenAlex
10. Jon Bailey , Mary Burch (2016). Ethics for Behavior Analysts . Routledge.

    Type: Book DOI: 10.4324/9781315669212 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4302768319

    Crossref OpenAlex
11. Mitzi Waltz (2014). Worlds of autism: across the spectrum of neurological difference . Disability & Society, 29(8), 1337-1338. Informa UK Limited.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1080/09687599.2014.934064 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2047908406

    Crossref OpenAlex
12. Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2020). Ethics code for behavior analysts. https://bacb.com/wp-content/ethics-code-for-behavior-analysts/

    Type: Other

    Crossref
13. Robert H. Horner , Glen Dunlap , Robert L. Koegel , Edward G. Carr , Wayne Sailor , Jacki Anderson et al. (1990). Toward a Technology of “Nonaversive” Behavioral Support . Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 15(3), 125-132. SAGE Publications.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/154079699001500301 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2120563459

    Crossref OpenAlex
14. Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2022). BACB test content outline (6th ed.). https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/bcba-outline-6thEd/

    Type: Other

    Crossref
15. James G. Holland (1978). BEHAVIORISM: PART OF THE PROBLEM OR PART OF THE SOLUTION? 1 . Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 11(1), 163-174. Wiley.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1901/jaba.1978.11-163 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2139131419

    Crossref OpenAlex
16. Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (n.d.). BACB certificant data. https://www.bacb.com/BACB-certificant-data .

    Type: Other

    Crossref
17. Mindy K. Newhouse-Oisten , Kimberly M. Peck , Alissa A. Conway , Jessica E. Frieder (2017). Ethical Considerations for Interdisciplinary Collaboration with Prescribing Professionals . Behavior Analysis in Practice, 10(2), 145-153. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s40617-017-0184-x OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2604211175

    Crossref OpenAlex
18. Monique Botha *Autistic author. Learn more… , Robert Chapman *Autistic author. Learn more… , Morénike Giwa Onaiwu *Autistic author. Learn more… , Steven K. Kapp *Autistic author. Learn more… , Abs S. Ashley *Autistic author. Learn more… , Nick Walker *Autistic author. Learn more… (2024). The neurodiversity concept was developed collectively: An overdue correction on the origins of neurodiversity theory . Autism, 28(6), 1591-1594. SAGE Publications.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/13623613241237871 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4392704062

    AutiHub · Autistic Scholars Crossref OpenAlex
19. Henny Kupferstein (2018). Evidence of increased PTSD symptoms in autistics exposed to applied behavior analysis . Advances in Autism, 4(1), 19-29. Emerald.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1108/aia-08-2017-0016 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2781829914

    Crossref OpenAlex
20. Cassi A. Breaux , Kristin Smith (2023). Assent in applied behaviour analysis and positive behaviour support: ethical considerations and practical recommendations . International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 69(1), 111-121. Informa UK Limited.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1080/20473869.2022.2144969 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4318770966

    Crossref OpenAlex
21. Bridget A. Taylor , Linda A. LeBlanc , Melissa R. Nosik (2019). Compassionate Care in Behavior Analytic Treatment: Can Outcomes be Enhanced by Attending to Relationships with Caregivers? Behavior Analysis in Practice, 12(3), 654-666. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s40617-018-00289-3 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2890413934

    Crossref OpenAlex
22. Brown, L. X. Z, Ashkenazy, E., & Onaiwu, M. G. (Eds.) (2017). All the weight of our dreams: On living racialized autism. DragonBee Press.

    Type: Other

    Crossref
23. Anita Li , Nicole Gravina , Joshua K. Pritchard , Alan Poling (2019). The Gender Pay Gap for Behavior Analysis Faculty . Behavior Analysis in Practice, 12(4), 743-746. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s40617-019-00347-4 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2934202061

    Crossref OpenAlex
24. Eilidh Cage , Catherine J. Crompton , Sarah Dantas , Khiah Strachan , Rachel Birch *Autistic author. Learn more… , Mark Robinson et al. (2024). What are the autism research priorities of autistic adults in Scotland? Autism, 28(9), 2179-2190. SAGE Publications.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/13623613231222656 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4391536598

    AutiHub · Autistic Scholars AutiHub · Documentation center Crossref OpenAlex
25. Aileen Herlinda Sandoval-Norton , Gary Shkedy , Dalia Shkedy (2019). How much compliance is too much compliance: Is long-term ABA therapy abuse? Cogent Psychology, 6(1), 1641258. Informa UK Limited.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1080/23311908.2019.1641258 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2957402865

    Crossref OpenAlex
26. (n.d.). Chapman, R. (2025, May 3). Neurodiversity lite is still evolving. Neurodiversity & Capitalism. https://neurodiversityandcapitalism.substack.com/p/neurodiversity-lite-is-still-evolving?selection=e6ee28f8-4cf8-408b-8871-15d863bd4d74#:~:text=When%20we%20talk%20about%20%E2%80%9Cneurodiversity%20lite%E2%80%9D%20in%20academia%20or%20research%2C%20we're%20usually%20talking%20about%20psychologists%20or%20psychiatrists%20who%20appropriate%20neurodiversity%20paradigm%20terminology%20while%20failing%20to%20adhere%20to%20the%20liberatory%20commitments%20and%20ethos%20of%20the%20neurodiversity%20movement

    Type: Other

    Crossref
27. Hanna Bertilsdotter Rosqvist *Autistic author. Learn more… , Nicholas Chown *Autistic author. Learn more… , Anna Stenning *Autistic author. Learn more… (2020). Neurodiversity Studies . Routledge.

    Type: Book DOI: 10.4324/9780429322297 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3027371659

    AutiHub · Autistic Scholars Crossref OpenAlex
28. Kate T. Chazin , Jennifer R. Ledford , Jane M. Wilson-Moses , Adithyan Rajaraman , A. Pablo Juárez (2025). Centering Autistic Perspectives: Social Acceptability of Goals, Learning Contexts, and Procedures for Young Autistic Children . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 55(3), 812-831. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s10803-024-06242-4 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4391896379

    Crossref OpenAlex
29. Lina Slim , Lilith M. Reuter-Yuill (2021). A Behavior-Analytic Perspective on Interprofessional Collaboration . Behavior Analysis in Practice, 14(4), 1238-1248. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s40617-021-00602-7 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3186409795

    Crossref OpenAlex
30. Nicholas Chown *Autistic author. Learn more… , Shona Murphy *Autistic author. Learn more… (2022). Social validity in relation to applied behaviour analysis . Academia Letters. Academia.edu.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.20935/al4751 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4206998114

    Crossref OpenAlex
31. Adithyan Rajaraman , Jennifer L. Austin , Holly C. Gover , Anthony P. Cammilleri , David R. Donnelly , Gregory P. Hanley (2022). Toward trauma‐informed applications of behavior analysis . Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 55(1), 40-61. Wiley.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1002/jaba.881 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3201338448

    Crossref OpenAlex
32. Karola Dillenburger (2025). Letter to editor . Advances in Autism, 11(1), 1-4. Emerald.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1108/aia-01-2025-080 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4406425124

    Crossref OpenAlex
33. WC Follette (1992). Follette, W. C., Houts, A. C., & Hayes, S. C. (1992). Behavior therapy and the new medical model. Behavioral Assessment, 14, 323–323. Behavioral Assessment, 14, 323.

    Type: Other

    Crossref
34. Joseph Veneziano , Shannon Shea (2023). They have a Voice; are we Listening? Behavior Analysis in Practice, 16(1), 127-144. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s40617-022-00690-z OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4225414540

    Crossref OpenAlex
35. Denisha Gingles , Jomella Watson-Thompson , Kaston D. Anderson-Carpenter , Jonathan Tarbox , Stephanie M. Peterson (2022). Leading the Charge: A Look Inside the Behavior Analysis in Practice Emergency Series of Publications on Systemic Racism and Police Brutality . Behavior Analysis in Practice, 15(4), 1015-1022. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s40617-022-00759-9 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4312066730

    Crossref OpenAlex
36. O. Ivar Lovaas (1987). Behavioral treatment and normal educational and intellectual functioning in young autistic children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55(1), 3-9. American Psychological Association (APA).

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1037/0022-006x.55.1.3 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4234561288

    Crossref OpenAlex
37. Abraham Graber , Jessica Graber (2023). Applied Behavior Analysis and the Abolitionist Neurodiversity Critique: An Ethical Analysis . Behavior Analysis in Practice, 16(4), 921-937. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s40617-023-00780-6 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4322766838

    Crossref OpenAlex
38. Allen Neuringer (1991). Humble Behaviorism . The Behavior Analyst, 14(1), 1-13. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/bf03392543 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4238730059

    Crossref OpenAlex
39. Jessica Graber , Abraham Graber (2025). Applied Behavior Analysis at a Crossroads: Reform, Branding, and the Future of Behavior Analysis . Perspectives on Behavior Science, 48(3), 577-588. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s40614-025-00462-4 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4411203811

    Crossref OpenAlex
40. I Goldiamond (1974). Goldiamond, I. (1974). Toward a constructional approach to social problems: Ethical and constitutional issues raised by applied behavior analysis. Behaviorism, 2(1), 1–84. Behaviorism, 2(1), 1.

    Type: Other

    Crossref
41. Damian Milton *Autistic author. Learn more… , Sara Ryan (2022). The Routledge International Handbook of Critical Autism Studies . Routledge.

    Type: Book DOI: 10.4324/9781003056577 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4307048444

    AutiHub · Autistic Scholars Crossref OpenAlex
42. David Jackson‐Perry (2025). Unknowing in Practice: The Promise of Discomfort, Failure and Uncertainty in Neurodiversity Studies . Neurodiversity, 3, 1. SAGE Publications.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/27546330251348083 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4410923110

    Crossref OpenAlex
43. David Jackson‐Perry , Elsa Suckle , Nicholas Chown *Autistic author. Learn more… , Jonathan Tarbox (2025). A Tactful Prompt: The Time is Right for Critical Behavioral Studies . Perspectives on Behavior Science, 48(3), 539-545. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s40614-025-00472-2 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4413272583

    AutiHub · Autistic Scholars Crossref OpenAlex
44. Sneha Kohli Mathur , Ellie Renz , Jonathan Tarbox (2024). Affirming Neurodiversity within Applied Behavior Analysis . Behavior Analysis in Practice, 17(2), 471-485. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s40617-024-00907-3 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4391217737

    Crossref OpenAlex
45. Joy F. Johnson (2025). From Harm to Healing: Building the Future of ABA with Autistic Voices . Societies, 15(3), 72. MDPI AG.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.3390/soc15030072 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4408526691

    Crossref OpenAlex
46. Elsa Suckle , Nicholas Chown *Autistic author. Learn more… , Jonathan Tarbox , Sneha Kohli Mathur (2025). Speaking across the autism worldview divide: a dialogue between critical autism studies and behaviour analytic scholars . Disability & Society, 40(12), 3263-3285. Informa UK Limited.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1080/09687599.2025.2478049 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4408760214

    AutiHub · Autistic Scholars Crossref OpenAlex
47. Cody Morris , Dana B. Morris , Biancé J. Ferrucci , Chloe A. Calkins , Sarah M. Sudhoff , Nicole M. Nenninger (2025). A Review of Behavior-Analytic Articles that Cite a Source of Misinformation about ABA . Behavior Analysis in Practice. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s40617-025-01061-0 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4409697071

    Crossref OpenAlex
48. Sidman, M. (1989). Coercion and its fallout. Authors Cooperative.

    Type: Other

    Crossref
49. Singer, J. (2016). NeuroDiversity: The birth of an idea. Self-published, Amazon

    Type: Other

    Crossref
50. BF Skinner (1948). Walden two . Walden two.

    Type: Other

    Crossref