On the ongoing conversion of Autism Speaks

[Greatshield17]

So I just found out last night that Autism Speaks announced that they have stopped looking for a cure back in 2016. (Which happens to be the same year I reverted and, unfortunately and perhaps ironically, failed to accept myself as Autistic for a few years.) However the reasons they give as to why they’ve changed their goals, are rather worded ambiguously and there are a wide variety issues still present in the organization, the biggest probably being their support of ABA.

Does anyone on here know more about this and have more information how Autism Speaks is operating now, and what their issues are?

Here’s the page where they discuss this and other things: For the Record | Autism Speaks

 

[Neonatal RRT]

With regards to their changing their mission with regards to finding a cure. They state clearly,..."Since Autism Speaks was founded in 2005, research funded by our organization and others has shown that there is no single “autism.” Science also tells us there will be no single “cure.” Today, Autism Speaks is not looking for a cure, and in fact, in 2016, the word “cure” was removed from our mission statement."

Having said that, @Greatshield17 and others on the forums have expressed their concerns regarding ABA therapies, despite what appears to be evidence that it works in many cases, and the autism centers continue to use it. Obviously, I bypassed all of this as I was not diagnosed until an adult,...so I am curious what is it about ABA that is disliked amongst autistics that have experienced it. Just trying to learn.

 

[Au Naturel]

ABA has a history of being very harsh and disciplinary. Pavlovian. Machiavellian, even. The goal was to make you act "normal" at all costs.

I suspect that ABA now has a wide variation in how it is applied, from ingenious and empathic to mechanistic and inhuman. I also suspect some people will do well under a given therapy regimen while others will do horribly under the same thing. It is important that they focus on helping you adapt to the world you're stuck in rather than trying to "fix" you by making you into something you are not.

As far as therapy goes, I still place my bets on CBT and DBT with a topping of radical acceptance.