The Gold Standard Fallacy of ABA: A Reference Guide for Therapists, Educators, & Parents

Have you heard applied behavior analysis (ABA) touted as the gold standard for autism treatment? Are you equipped with the facts to confidently challenge the industry's "gold standard" narrative? Can you articulate to a doctor, school, or agency why ABA, including the "new and improved ABA," might not be the best approach for an autistic young person?The Gold Standard Fallacy of ABA: A Reference Guide for Therapists, Educators, & Parents debunks the "gold standard" myth with concrete evidence compiled from peer-reviewed published research. This reference guide is a powerful tool to enlighten anyone involved in the care, education, or advocacy for autistic young people with the knowledge to confidently question the status quo and cite the research to support it, reiterate the educational and training background of ABA providers, and articulate ethical issues with ABA research, including poor evidence, bias, and conflicts of interest, and bodily autonomy violation and outcomes of trauma from the treatment. With citations and critical points from investigative news articles, the guide also sheds light on the influence of private equity's financial motivations that may distort care priorities. Furthermore, it briefly summarizes parents' rights in the IEP (Individualized Education Plan) process, enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions.An invaluable read for therapists, educators, and parents, 'The Gold Standard Fallacy of ABA' is a handy sourcebook for therapists, educators, and parents. It will equip you with evidence-based research citations to challenge the autism pathology paradigm and its compliance-based treatments and, importantly, empower you to influence others to shift to respectful, empathetic, and trauma-informed approaches that align with the neurodiversity paradigm's ideals.