Summary
The Professional Standards Agency, which decides who counts as a group of professionals, has decided that a group of people doing ABA are real professionals. ABA is a therapy for autistic people that many autistic people feel is abusive.
Neurodivergent Labour is disappointed to learn about the decision of the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) to give accreditation to the U.K. Society of Behavioural Analysis.
We feel that the PSA has not done enough to consult those who feel that ABA is harmful to Autistic and Neurodivergent people. One meeting with a small group of Autistic adults is not sufficient, as autistic/neurodivergent and learning disabled people are meant to be those who benefit from this therapy. There are a growing number of studies that show the harm that ABA causes, and a growing number of anecdotal experiences that show that the unthinking compliance that Behaviourist therapies such as ABA promote can also have long term effects of people’s psychological well-being.
We contrast the PSA’s decision to accredit the UK SBA to government efforts to ban gay conversion therapy. Why outlaw one form of conversion therapy and endorse another?
While we welcome the statement that the PSA will withdraw accreditation if services by the UK-SBA causes harm, we feel that a case can be made that ABA and other therapies are fundamentally harmful, even if practiced in line with their own standards.
Neurodivergent Labour calls for the government to launch a proper investigation in to the possible harms of ABA, PBS and other behaviourist therapies, and not rush in to approving these therapies without meaningfully consulting the individuals it claims to help. You can read our position on ABA in more detail here:
If you or a close relative have experience of the harm that ABA has caused, or are concerned about ABA, then please contact the PSA by clicking on this link.
You can e-mail us at info@ndlabour.com with your experiences and concerns so that we can pass these concerns to our patrons in parliament.
ABA is not a therapy, it is the science of human behaviour, and is not a therapy for only autism. This is a very limited view of what ABA is and can do to support people in the wider community. More research is needed to actually develop a consensus, not just anecdotes. As with any scientific field, there will be a morbid history, just look at psychology and medicine! The medical model still over medicates people with autism or other additional needs rather than teaching them key skills to improve their quality of life. Regulated practitioners is what is needed, people with experience and correct supervision. Not all practitioners are like this, and I certainly haven’t experienced gay conversion therapy in the UK. This has historically been practiced in the US. Other institutions such as religion use this approach (CT) as have the medical model. This is a minority view and does not speak to all the people who have accessed ABA and have had a significant life change which has improved quality of life. Opinions should always be separated from these types of accusations and instead we should look at the data. There are many things across the UK which are based on the SCIENCE of ABA and it is used in the majority of industries. How about we focus on all the positive impacts ABA has had across these industries and people, actually look at the data and come to a sensible conclusion; and not focus on historical factors which are not common or ethical practice today.