Ontario’s autistic-led advocacy group, Autistics for Autistics, strongly condemns the Government of Ontario for allocating $7.5 million to train provincial teachers in using a bogus autism “therapy” known as Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) 1/6 https://a4aontario.com/2021/01/13/government-of-ontario-stop-promoting-abusive-autism-therapy-in-schools/

Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) was founded by O. Ivor Lovaas, a behaviourist who also co-founded gay conversion therapy.

Much like gay conversion therapy, ABA is based on an “aversive” system. Aversives may range from denying play time to electroshocks 2/6

A year of ABA can cost $30,000-$90,000 per child. In contrast, inclusion-based alternatives to ABA are affordable and sustainable.

ABA-based school programs have been sued for human rights abuses in Canada, including high-profile cases in Alberta and Ontario (see statement) 3/6

Autistic people consistently oppose ABA. In a recent survey of 3,431 autistics, just 5.19% supported ABA.

ABA is also rejected by many parents, teachers, autism experts & therapists.

While BCBAs argue that ABA is “the only way,” ABA is rarely used outside of the US & Canada.

Reviews of ABA research show no evidence of benefit for ABA.

Conflicts of interest are pervasive in 70% of ABA research.

ABA research design is flawed, w/small sample sizes, absence of RCTs, detection bias & typically no assessment of risks/adverse events. (See statement)

With no evidence of benefit, clear evidence of harm, community protest & parent demand for alternatives, is there any rational reason to invest in ABA?

Government of Ontario: Do what’s right. De-fund ABA now.

@thinkingautism