Challenging behaviour(ists): neurodiverse culture and applied behaviour analysis

From Singer's first coining of neurodiversity to understand a more diverse experience of being human, the understanding and adaptation of neurodiverse voices into practice and research has steadily expanded. Despite growing engagement with autistic voices, there remains a particular discourse and barrier between participants and practitioners of early intervention. One such intervention facing both dispute and scrutiny is Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA). While ABA has retained continued status as a 'gold standard' intervention for autistic children, how stakeholders understand the disputes between practice and experience remain obscure.
The current chapter explores the differing stakeholders perceptions and experiences of ABA, while highlighting the value the neurodiversity movement can have in better engaging autistic voices and experiences in future research.