Clients of applied behavior analysis (ABA), specifically Black, Indigenous, and people of color receiving treatment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), regularly experience the effects of systemic racism via biases in the health care system. ABA as a science offers the necessary tools to support immediate, concrete actions to bring about social justice. This article offers a brief conceptual framework of critical race theory (CRT); cultural competence, responsiveness, and humility; and social justice concepts. Applications to health care are offered, addressing including systemic racism and implicit bias, along with points of personal reflection. These conceptual frameworks are synthesized in support of a cultural responsiveness curriculum, rooted in the tenets of CRT and cultural competence trainings in neighboring disciplines, that we offer as an immediate, actionable step that Board Certified Behavior Analysts can take today to broaden their perspective and proficiency. The prospective benefits of this work include effecting change in access to and outcomes of behavior-analytic services, particularly for the treatment of ASD in marginalized communities.
Keywords: Critical race theory; applied behavior analysis; autism spectrum disorder; cultural competence; cultural humility; cultural responsiveness.
© Association for Behavior Analysis International 2021.