Ethical behavior analytic intervention for autistic self-stimulatory behaviors

Dave Gaines, B.A.

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A mother of a young autistic boy, who works with her child personally using a behavior analytic foundation, asked me how to best stop her son from repetitively tapping on many things and emitting "aaahhh" vocalizations at the same time.

My response to her was, "Why does the tapping behavior and vocal sound need to be stopped?"

Her response, paraphrased, "Don't you think the behaviors should get treated appropriately or the needs should be fulfilled in a manner so that it wont look inappropriate? Also the child should get satisfied with the appropriate alternative."

My answer, "No I don't. These behaviors may serve an important purpose for your son and may simply be an expression of the unique person that he is. Your son does not have to be made to look like every other child. Maybe the other children, and adults, should adapt themselves to understand that all people are different and differences can be accepted. The ethical usage of behavior analysis is not to make every child look the same but, rather, to teach a child skills that will help him survive, thrive and choose his/her own destiny in life. If the tapping and vocal behaviors are inherently harmless, which they appear to be, then they don't, and probably shouldn't, be touched. I think your time will be much better spent teaching your son useful skills than trying to eliminate harmless, and possibly beneficial to your son, behaviors.

(See the video below):

Dave Gaines, B.A.
Behavior Analyst
Sacramento, California, USA
dave@gainesaba.com

Note on video: The first part is in my "native language," and then the second part provides a translation, or at least an explanation. This is not a look-at-the-autie gawking freakshow as much as it is a statement about what gets considered thought, intelligence, personhood, language, and communication, and what does not.