NCSA Position Statement on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
NCSA STRONGLY SUPPORTS BROAD ACCESS ACROSS THE LIFESPAN TO ABA AS A RECOGNIZED EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTION
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), as a practice, refers to the application of behavior analytic principles to improve socially significant behaviors, which can include multiple types of intervention strategies (shaping¹, discrete trial teaching², incidental teaching³, pivotal response training⁴, naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions⁵, group instruction⁶, behavioral skills training⁷, functional communication training⁸, functional analysis⁹, extinction¹⁰).
ABA, as an intervention strategy, focuses on why the behavior is happening, identifies the factors in the environment contributing to the occurrence of that behavior, and, based on operant conditioning techniques, systematically modifies those factors to decrease or eliminate behaviors of concern (aggression, self-injurious behavior, property destruction) and increase desired behavior (communication, skills of daily living, leisure activities and other opportunities for an individual to participate in community life)¹¹.
ABA is not a single approach but a field of inquiry driven by data to ensure that targets for skill acquisition and behavior reduction are meaningful, contextual, analytic, replicable, and accountable¹². It is not contingent shock, confined to Pavlovian rewards of M&M's, or intended to rob individuals of their neurodiversity.
Despite the endorsements from multiple reputable organizations (e.g., the United States Surgeon General, National Institute of Mental Health, the American Psychological Association, American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Academy of Science) and the evidence in the literature supporting the effectiveness of ABA-based interventions¹³, some neurodiversity activists have expressed concerns with the use of ABA-based interventions.
NCSA does not explicitly endorse the use of any particular approach, including ABA or any other interventions commonly associated with treating autism (such as speech, occupational therapy, and medication), nor do we engage in the debate regarding the effectiveness of these procedures. Instead, NCSA strongly supports broad access to ABA across the lifespan and all other evidence-based interventions, the selection of which should be left exclusively to caregivers and other trusted team members (teachers, physicians, therapists, etc.) based on each individual's unique set of challenges. Politics and ideology should never limit options available for treatment, especially for those suffering from the extraordinarily dangerous and vastly life-limiting symptoms frequently reported in the severe/profound population. A fundamental civil right of an individual with a disability is the right to effective habilitation and the freedom to exercise that right in the choice of treatment right for them.
It is incumbent on parents to ensure that all the providers who work with their child (ABA or otherwise) are pursuing meaningful and agreed-upon goals, that data inform assessments and treatments decisions and that the implementation of the treatment protocol aligns with the BACB code of ethics, other licensure requirements, contemporary best practices, and upholds the rights and dignity of the individual being treated.14,15
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Koegel, L. K., Koegel, R. L., & Harrower, J. K. (1999). Pivotal response intervention I: Overview of approach. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 24(3), 174-185.
Schreibman, L., Dawson, G., Stahmer, A. C., et al. (2015). Naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions: Empirically validated treatments for autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45, 2411-2428.
Ledford, J. R., Gast, D. L., Luscre, D., & Ayres, K. M. (2008). Observational and incidental learning by children with autism during small group instruction. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38, 86-103.
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Durand, V. M., & Carr, E. G. (1991). Functional communication training to reduce challenging behavior: Maintenance and application in new settings. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24, 251-264.
Jessel, J., Hanley, G. P., & Ghaemmaghami, M. (2020). On the standardization of the functional analysis. Behavior Analysis in Practice.
Hoffman, K., & Falcomata, T. S. (2014). An evaluation of resurgence of appropriate communication in individuals with autism who exhibit severe problem behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.
Wolf, M. M. (2005). Montrose M. Wolf (1935–2004). Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 38(2), 279-287.
Sulzer-Azaroff, B., & Mayer, G. R. (1991). Behavior analysis for lasting change. Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
Schreibman, L., et al. (2015). Naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions: Empirically validated treatments for autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2020). Ethics code for behavior analysts.
Council of Autism Service Providers [CASP]. (2024). Standards & Guidelines.
Adopted by the NCSA Board of Directors March 11, 2025
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