19/08/2025
ABA -what is it and why is it controversial?
When the word ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) comes up in conversations about autism, it almost always sparks strong reactions. Some parents are told it’s the “gold standard” therapy. Others hear stories from autistic adults who say it was deeply harmful. So which is it?
To start with, ABA is a behaviour-based approach. It was originally developed in the 1960s to teach new skills and reduce behaviours seen as “undesirable.” This history matters, because back then the focus was often on making autistic children appear less autistic. Hand-flapping, rocking, avoiding eye contact, or having strong interests were seen as problems to be fixed rather than natural parts of being autistic.
For many autistic adults, especially those who grew up in intensive ABA programmes, the experience was not one of support but of suppression. They describe being trained to hide who they were, to ignore their own needs, and to prioritise compliance over wellbeing. Some compare it to masking on demand, which can lead to anxiety, trauma, and a loss of self-identity.
This is why so many in the autistic community view ABA with suspicion or outright opposition. They’re not rejecting the idea of support; they’re rejecting the idea that the goal of support should be to erase autistic traits.
That said, not all therapy that comes under the “ABA” umbrella looks the same. Some modern practitioners emphasise naturalistic teaching, play-based interaction, and following a child’s interests. The problem is that ABA has such a wide spectrum of practice that one family’s positive experience can sit right alongside another person’s traumatic one—and both are true.
So where does that leave parents?
I think the most important questions aren’t “Is it ABA or not?” but:
• Does this intervention respect my child’s autonomy?
• Is the goal to make my child fit in, or to help them thrive as who they are?
• Are their natural ways of communicating, moving, or playing being supported—or suppressed?
• Will this help my child feel safe, confident, and understood?
For me, any therapy or support should be neuroaffirming and trauma-informed. That means it should celebrate autistic ways of being, support communication in whatever form it takes, and help a child navigate the world without denying them their identity.
There are approaches out there—speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, play-based interaction, SCERTS, relationship-based models—that can build skills and confidence without asking children to mask. These can be used in empowering, compassionate ways.
Parents are often put under huge pressure to “do something” quickly after a diagnosis. But doing something isn’t always better than doing nothing if that “something” leaves a child feeling less safe, less accepted, or less themselves.
ABA is complicated. It has a history that cannot be ignored, but also a present where it looks very different in different places. What matters most is not the label on the programme but the impact it has on the child. If it builds joy, self-esteem, and authentic communication, it’s moving in the right direction. If it builds compliance and shame, it’s not.
At the end of the day, autistic children don’t need to be trained out of autism. They need to be supported, respected, and celebrated for who they are.
Emma
The Autistic SENCo
♾️
Photo: One of the derelict Crofts that we stopped at on our NC500 journey. Number 4 stayed in the car because, ‘Only you what to look at that old house Mum.’
I think it’s gorgeous. I instantly fell in love with it. Lick of paint and it’ll be fine… 😂
