So my talk last week to the clinical psychology program went well–but I infuriated two people who used to be ABA therapists. They insisted that ABA was the most useful intervention for kids with autism, and that none of the bad stuff I was describing happened any more (they insisted that nobody nowadays attempts to “normalize” autistics, suppress stims, or use aversives–except for the Judge Rottenberg Center, which they agreed was a disgrace).
So here’s my question: does anyone out there have RECENT (last ten years) experience with ABA, either good or bad? Are you a teen or young adult who has had ABA therapy within the last ten years? Are you a parent, whose child has had ABA therapy recently? What were those experiences like? I would really appreciate anything you can tell me.
that Bloody Cat 
The last year I worked as an ABA therapist was 2009 and we still told people “quiet hands,” made them work (earn tokens) for their right to stim, etc. I knew of another company that made kids “earn” their breakfast, and although I personally never had to do this, co-workers were made to force sensory experience onto kids (force feed kids with sensory sensitivities to certain foods, etc.)
Thank you for this. People keep assuring me that this stuff doesn’t happen anymore, but it looks like it does . . .