Therapy or Normalizing?

     A study called "Applied Behavior Analysis in Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Scoping Review" by National Library of Medicine is about a form of therapy dedicated to reinforcing "good" behavior in order to "normalize" autistic behavior. Neurodiverse people are unique in how they perceive the world and they have unique ways in communicating with their surroundings. This therapy practice takes that away from them.

    Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is therapy that "treats" people with autism. It started in the 1970's and had the main goal of changing autistic individual's behavior. The patient's results were good for their standards the study states, "The remarkable findings revealed that 47% of the children who participated in this treatment reached normal intellectual and educational functioning compared to only 2% of a control group" (Lovaas, 1987). This is all still in use today. When a youth starts ABA, they will meet with a behavior analysis specialist who will decide the child's intelligence level and social capabilities. Then while in treatment they will be exposed to simple tasks and observed. If "good" behavior is exhibited, like wanted communication styles and interaction with objects and other people, then it will be rewarded. However, "bad" behavior is ignored, or lightly reprimanded so it'll disappear entirely.

    Ultimately while this therapy form is still in use today more awareness has been brought to the negative effects of this therapy like destruction of the confidence and self-esteem of the patients. Professionals have made other forms of therapy that encourages all behavior and helps the patient understand it and work through it instead of training them to categorize their behavior as "good" and "bad". The new therapy even has ways of reversing the ABA training if the patient had been exposed to it. It's really bringing awareness to respecting the diversity of neurodiverse people and helping instead of normalizing them.

Work Cited

Gitimoghaddam, Mojgan, et al. "Applied Behavior Analysis in Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Scoping Review." Perspectives on Behavior Science, vol. 45, no. 3, 2022, pp. 521-557,  Applied Behavior Analysis in Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Scoping Review - PMC.
   

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