ABA
Autistic People and ABA Survivors on ABA
*TW: While ABA therapy is inherently ableist and abusive, we have tried to provide specific trigger warnings for each of the below posts as needed. Please let us know if we missed anything.
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The Misbehavior of Behaviorists Michelle Dawson http://www.sentex.net/~nexus23/naa_02.html
TW: brief mention of physical abuse, gay conversion therapy, R-word
Quiet Hands Julia Bascom http://neuroqueer.blogspot.com/
TW: detailed description (and image) of "quiet hands," restraint, physical and psychological abuse
Grabbers Julia Bascom https://juststimming.wordpress.com
TW: forced eye contact, "quiet hands," non-consensual touch, R-word
ABA Maxfield Sparrow http://unstrangemind.com/
TW: forced eye contact, restraint and physically forced compliance, grooming for sexual abuse
No You Don't Maxfield Sparrow http://www.thinkingautismguide.com/
TW: rape/sexual abuse, forced intimacy, R-word, survival sex, denial of accomodations/discrimination, "tough love"
Indistinguishable From Peers Means: You Don't Have Autism Related Problems Neurodivergent K http://timetolisten.blogspot.com/
TW: brief mention of suicidal ideation
If You Don't Use Your Words You Won't Be Indistinguishable Neurodivergent K http://timetolisten.blogspot.com/
TW: "Use Your Words"
The Cost of Indistinguishability is Unreasonable Neurodivergent K http://timetolisten.blogspot.com/
TW: physical abuse, sexual abuse, fake friends, suicidality
The Tyranny of Indistinguishability: Performance Neurodivergent K http://timetolisten.blogspot.com/
TW: brief mention of physical abuse
My Thoughts On ABA Amy Sequenzia https://autismwomensnetwork.org/
TW: ableist Lovaas quotes, brief reference to abusive Lovaas experiments
Autistic Conversion Therapy Amy Sequenzia https://autismwomensnetwork.org/
The Dangers of ABA: A Survivor's Story, Pt. 1 Kristy Young http://autistic-christian-misfit.blogspot.com/
TW: ableism, R-word, gay conversion therapy/anti-LGBT bigotry, seclusion, forced sensory experiences, bullying, restraint, seclusion, suicidality, self-harm, religious bigotry, conformity, institutionalization
The Dangers of ABA: A Survivor's Story, Pt. 2 Kristy Young http://autistic-christian-misfit.blogspot.com/
TW: institutionalization, dissociation, bullying, religious bigotry, suicidality
ABA's Harmful Message to Children: You Can't Say "No" Kristy Young http://autistic-christian-misfit.blogspot.com/
TW: sexual abuse, ABA apologism, gaslighting
The Realities of ABA Quin https://autisticparenting.wordpress.com/
TW: restraint, forced eye contact, forced intimacy, confiscating possessions for use as "reinforcers," aversives, shouting as punishment, seclusion
What an ABA Session Looks Like Quin https:///autisticparenting.wordpress.com
TW: infantilization, dehumanization, confiscation of belongings for "reinforcers," non-consensual touch, restraint, physical abuse, "quiet hands"
A Basic Problem With ABA Real Social Skills http://realsocialskills.org/
The Illusion of Choice in Behaviour Modification Therapy Michelle Swan https://michellesuttonwrites.com/
Why I Oppose ABA as a Method of Instruction Real Social Skills http://realsocialskills.org/
ABA Therapy Is Not Like Typical Parenting Real Social Skills http://realsocialskills.org/
TW: examples of behaviorist tactics; punishment/withholding rewards
Appearing To Enjoy Behavior Modification Is Not Meaningful Real Social Skills http://realsocialskills.org/
Extended Interview With Jennifer Msumba (video) CBS News https://www.cbsnews.com/
TW: Judge Rotenberg Center, torture, physical abuse, electric shock, suicidal ideation, restraint
Controversy Over Shocking People With Autism, Behavioral Disorders CBS News https://www.cbsnews.com/
TW: Judge Rotenberg Center, shock, torture, physical and psychological abuse, abuse apologists (including parents) praising torture
The Spread of Compliance Training Kit Mead http://kpaginatedthoughts.blogspot.com/
TW: ableism
Autism Advocacy and Aversives (part one) Michelle Dawson http://autismcrisis.blogspot.com/
TW: mentions aversives, electric shock, JRC
Autism Advocacy and Aversives (part two) Michelle Dawson http://autismcrisis.blogspot.com/
TW: mentions aversives and physical abuse
Autism Advocacy and Aversives (part three) Michelle Dawson http://autismcrisis.blogspot.com/
TW: mentions aversives
If You Want Me To Believe You're A Good Behaviorist Real Social Skills http://realsocialskills.org/
TW: mension use of seclusion as punishment
Walk In Issy's Shoes Ischemgeek https://ischemgeek.wordpress.com/
TW: "quiet hands," Whole Body Listening, restraint, infantilization
Have Some ABA Or Else Amy Sequenzia https://autismwomensnetwork.org/
TW: ABA apologism, bullying, ableism
Your Therapy IS Like That Or At Least Your Attitude Is Neurodivergent K http://timetolisten.blogspot.com/
A Note To (What Feels Like) Every ABA Therapist Ever Amythest Schaber http://neurowonderful.tumblr.com/
Why ABA Is Rejected By The Autistic, According to One Autistic Person Embracing The Spectrum http://embracingthespectrum.com/
TW: physical abuse/violence, internalized ableism, suicidality, bullying
CN: this is an interview; the part about ABA is at the end (follow-up question #3)
Autistic Self Advocacy Network http://autisticadvocacy.org/
TW: mention of restraint and seclusion, prevention of stimming, vulnerability to physical, emotional, and sexual abuse
The Problem With Errorless Learning Real Social Skills http://realsocialskills.org/
TW: mentions examples of DTT tasks and errorless learning
The Me Book and My Autistic Reading Grimalkin https://felisautisticus.wordpress.com/
TW & CN: This is a review of The Me Book which is the foundational document upon which all ABA "therapy" is based, written by the man who pioneered the use of ABA as an "autism treatment." The book itself reads as a How To Manual for child abuse. Lovaas is notorious for his ableist perspectives & comments about disabled children as well as his experiments on autistic children (and on so-called "feminine boys") which included physical abuse, electric shock, starvation, verbal and psychological abuse. This review includes excerpts from and references to this horrific book and therefore we advise extreme caution in reading this review, and especially the book itself.