A Tactful Prompt: The Time is Right for Critical Behavioral Studies

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Jackson‐Perry, D., Suckle, E., Chown, N., & Tarbox, J. (2025). A Tactful Prompt: The Time is Right for Critical Behavioral Studies. Perspectives on Behavior Science, 48(3), 539-545. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-025-00472-2

Publication date: 18 Aug 2025 Added to AutiHub: 5 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
4
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 4 (25.0%)
  1. David Jackson‐Perry
  2. Elsa Suckle
  3. Nicholas Chown *
  4. Jonathan Tarbox

Abstract

Abstract Feelings have long run high between many autistic advocates and behavior analysts. The former often experience and perceive ABA as harmful and traumatic in its methods, and prejudicial and stigmatizing in its objectives, with some of the latter retorting that criticisms reflect misunderstandings of the science rather than areas of true concern. The result? A deep and contentious conceptual divide, leaving little room for dialogue or progress. Recent months, though, have seen a tentative shift. Alongside recognition that behavioral interventions are so deeply entrenched that they are here to stay, some critical autism scholars are gingerly initiating public conversations with behavioral practitioners in a spirit of taking a pragmatic approach to meaningful reform. Further, a new generation of behavior analysts—including some autistic practitioners—is emerging, recognizing problems in their field, and considering how to address them. Interest in such developments is spreading and signals an opportunity for behavior analysts to follow other academic and advocate communities that recognize the importance of interdisciplinarity and critical self-reflection to evolve as a field. We—an interdisciplinary team of critical autism, neurodiversity, and behavior analysis scholars—feel that formalizing a broad field for scholars and practitioners sharing these ambitions holds potential. This field—let’s call it Critical Behavioral Studies —would favor profound social, cultural, and historical understanding, a commitment to extend the scope of training to better contextualize practice in relation to the group served, and the self-examination that would bring meaningful change to the field.

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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 11:30.

Cited references
25
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
5 / 25 (20.0%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
9 / 73 (12.3%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 9 / 47 (19.1%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 6 / 65 (9.2%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
47 / 73 (64.4%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 39 / 65 (60.0%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
38 / 47 (80.9%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 38 / 73 (52.1%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 33 / 39 (84.6%).
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