Applied Behavioural Analysis

A therapeutic approach based on behaviorist principles that uses reinforcement and conditioning to modify behaviour, widely used with autistic children. ABA has become increasingly controversial within the autistic community and among disability scholars. Critics argue that it prioritizes compliance and normalization over the wellbeing and autonomy of autistic individuals, suppresses natural autistic behaviours like stimming, and can cause lasting psychological harm including post-traumatic stress. For accessibility researchers, ABA's emphasis on compliance is particularly relevant because it can condition autistic participants against expressing critical feedback, undermining the validity of participatory design processes.