.@propublica.org, whom we respect, recently published an @anniewaldman.bsky.social article about ABA therapy being denied to autistic children and their families by insurance companies. It was then re-shared via @cnn.com Let's talk about how this article missed the mark, on several points. 1/ - ThreadSky

thinkingautism.com • 139 days ago

[email protected], whom we respect, recently published an @anniewaldman.bsky.social article about ABA therapy being denied to autistic children and their families by insurance companies. It was then re-shared via @cnn.com Let's talk about how this article missed the mark, on several points. 1/

Comments

tentscientist.bsky.social•139 days ago

I had already responded to this on another post. Ended up having a long argument with a BCBA. All the large scale studies in support of ABA were meta-analyses. It’s concerning when the “gold standard” therapy for autism lacks large scale studies.

lilactransform.bsky.social•138 days ago

The only large study I can think of is the TriCare study that concluded that the VA should stop paying for ABA because it was expensive and did not have any long term effect on the abilities of the kids involved. It also noted that the most effective amount of therapy was 6 hours per week.

lilactransform.bsky.social•138 days ago

The study also couldn't find durable effects on any subpopulation. The autistic children who had the highest support needs saw the fewest changes in long term outcomes whereas the lowest support needs had the most (but that population didn't have any significant changes in long term outcomes)

tentscientist.bsky.social•138 days ago

Are you referring to the study done by the DOD? I linked to that study on that thread as well as my own page.

lilactransform.bsky.social•138 days ago

I believe so, I just didn't see your link, sorry.

tentscientist.bsky.social•138 days ago

Here’s the study https://therapistndc.org/aba-is-not-effective-so-says-the-latest-report-from-the-department-of-defense/

elfqueeng.bsky.social•139 days ago

Never a good day to argue with a BCBA. The same arguments have been recycled for years. It's exhausting.

tentscientist.bsky.social•139 days ago

I couldn’t help but notice that he keep emphasizing the sheer number of studies rather than the quality of those studies. He tried to hand wave away the lack of large scale studies as “hard to conduct”. Are BCBA’s required to support ABA online?

elfqueeng.bsky.social•139 days ago

It seems that way, doesn't it? Their online behavior is very cultish. I've never run into another group of professionals in any other field who feel obligated to defend their practice like that. Perhaps because ABA is awful.

tentscientist.bsky.social•139 days ago

In the same thread, I had a mother respond to the study I linked to regarding PTSD in autistics who undergone ABA. Told me that it wasn’t “real ABA” they were subjected to. It gave me a “not real Christians” vibe.

elfqueeng.bsky.social•139 days ago

Also, the frequency with which BCBAs will blame "a bad provider" instead of admitting to the flaws in their beloved 'science' is bananas. Taking responsibility is apparently not part of their code of ethics.

elfqueeng.bsky.social•139 days ago

And this perception leads back to the larger issue of insurance fraud. Lots of providers bill a variety of interventions that are NOT ABA as ABA because nothing else must be covered. There's so much misinformation and confusion all around.

elfqueeng.bsky.social•139 days ago

That's because they don't understand what "real ABA" is. I'm confident that the study you linked was, in fact, real ABA.

sighmabean.bsky.social•135 days ago

I highly suggest anyone with autistic kids get them a wearable audio recorder like a watch or necklace and don't say nothing to nobody. I just...have seen and heard too much. Arm your kids with the ability to record the truth. Then look up party consent laws if you don't like what you hear.

anasolitaria7.bsky.social•139 days ago

📌

james-rice.bsky.social•139 days ago

I completely missed the aba because I was so dead inside.

thinkingautism.com•139 days ago

Because we tend to trust respected, progressive publications and writers as both intellectually rigorous and socially fair, their ableism often goes unchecked, and so can be far more dangerous than that of their unapologetically prejudiced counterparts.

https://thinkingautismguide.com/2024/06/how-the-progressive-media-sells-out-autistic-people.html

thinkingautism.com•139 days ago

And to be fair, most people don't question ABA therapy as the "gold standard" for autistic kids, especially high-support kids like TPGA editors' sons. But OTOH it doesn't take much research to discover the considerable pushback against ABA, especially from autistic people. 3/

thinkingautism.com•139 days ago

E.g., those "gold standard," "evidence-based" claims? When examined, ABA research is riddled by conflicts of interest. And per Dr. @kbottemabeutel.bsky.social, "we shouldn’t have a separate set of lower standards that we only apply to autism research."

https://thinkingautismguide.com/2020/05/conflicts-of-interest-in-early-autism.html 4/

thinkingautism.com•139 days ago

The article also has no autistic perspectives. This is a problem, as per @autisticadvocacy.bsky.social, "there is very little ethical guidance for people who practice autism therapies that accounts for the needs, experiences, & perspectives of autistic people."

https://autisticadvocacy.org/policy/briefs/intervention-ethics/

thinkingautism.com•139 days ago

It is not only autistic people who question the ethics and purpose of ABA therapy. Parents like our editor @shannonrosa.bsky.social, who was told to enroll her child in ABA, often end up rejecting and criticizing the practice:

https://thinkingautismguide.com/2020/10/why-no-autistic-child-should-be-in-aba-therapy.html 6/

thinkingautism.com•139 days ago

Also ABA comes at autistic kids wrong, as these "methods are ineffective in addressing the needs of young people and can have negative consequences. Rewards may encourage short-term compliance but do not foster long-term growth or self-regulation." @stimpunks.org:

https://stimpunks.org/why/alternatives-to-aba/ 7/

chalkwitch.bsky.social•139 days ago

It is an awful practice and it destroyed my highly intelligent ASC daughter. It increased her levels of school based trauma. It teaches masking and fawning and erodes any sense of self.

jenniferabbanat.bsky.social•139 days ago

I made the mistake and enrolled my child on the only recommendation of the neuro psych, psych, &developmental ped This was 16 years ago . I work everyday to repair the ruptures in our relationship that ABA caused because it didn’t see my son it only operated to judge his behaviors not understand .

autiebea.bsky.social•135 days ago

i have taught a student who was subjected to intensive aba. they were reduced to an automaton. heartbreaking.

tonydamata.bsky.social•139 days ago

Funny how no one understands autistic people better than autistic people.

mlmlois.bsky.social•139 days ago

📌

sarahakin.bsky.social•138 days ago

The thing that makes me angriest is when they concede that ABA is wrong...for high functioning autistics. The issue isn't these kids being so high functioning. It's that disability isn't misbehavior.

grumblekitty.bsky.social•139 days ago

I found it troubling that the authors didn’t recognize that these commercials/PSAs reached and influence a broader audience than the parents being targeted. The article also glossed over the fact that people don’t graduate from autism at 18.

turtle4life.bsky.social•139 days ago

I have read many blogs over the years- "We just need to get enough ppl to see us as we really are." 100% true. I'm sorry to cause anger, but idk if this strategy gets us to Change. 😩 Building autistic advocacy at local grassroots level is very hard, but that's where I see Change happening.

luciefur.bsky.social•139 days ago

📌

lionthroat.bsky.social•139 days ago

📌

henselpushers.bsky.social•138 days ago

📌

jtrott.bsky.social•139 days ago

Hound the Filthy Rich every day until neighbors and family despise them.

pnwlark.bsky.social•138 days ago

📌

jmrives.bsky.social•138 days ago

📌

pfft05.bsky.social•139 days ago

I am retired Exceptional Needs Specialist, five children with autism in one class. Each child was unique in every way; learning styles, methods of communication, cognitive abilities, etc. Insurance should pay for therapies because autistic children may require assistance for basic needs.

epballou.bsky.social•139 days ago

This is true. But most of the therapy that insurance will pay for without question, does not take these factors into account well.

elfqueeng.bsky.social•139 days ago

Yes. A variety of therapies should be covered. Unfortunately, the only "treatment" that insurance is mandated to cover is the one that has been repeatedly shown to be ineffective and that many Autistic people oppose. ABA should not be considered to be the standard.