The truth about ‘good ABA’
To preface: I am audhd, and truly believed I was making a meaningful difference in the kids lives before I quit. I never did anything that I thought would be harmful, and it ended up being the reason I was put on a ‘professional improvement plan’ and quit.
I was a registered behavior technician for about 8 months at 3 different ‘neurodiversity affirming’ ABA companies. All three of them preached being ‘trauma informed’, ‘play-based’ and using more progressive ways of therapy. On some levels, they were telling the truth, in that they don’t beat kids or electrocute them to stop behavior. However, the issue lies within the fact that the basis of the therapy is to change behavior. While this can be useful in situations like elopement, self injury, or injury to others, many times I was instructed to disrupt stimming (which I NEVER did despite being told to) and other harmless behaviors.
Another issue I came across was every behavior needing to be ‘functional’ or useful. Who the hell is constantly functional? They’re kids! They deserve to play the way they want! Many MANY goals that I was instructed to work on was ‘imaginary play’. The way that you are instructed to teach imaginary play is by having them mimic what you are doing, instead of playing the way they want to play. How is that imaginary play?
These kids are also put through 6+ hour days, longer than a school day, and RBTs are expected to run ‘programs’ throughout the whole session. This leaves the kids EXHAUSTED, and often falling asleep during session. At one company I worked for, they even went as far as to forbid the kids from sleeping and making them wake up and do something else.
I deeply regret working in ABA. I am now preparing to go to school for occupational therapy, and am now a direct support professional instead.