Association for Behavior Analysis International

Culture has been defined as “the characteristic features of everyday existence shared by people in a place or time.” Each of the presenters in this symposium will discuss a different culture from a behavioral perspective and present specific ways that the behavioral perspective can make a difference for the individuals within that culture. These cultures include foster care and adoption and the tendency of professionals to pathologize and overmedicate children, marginalized status due to systemic racism and neurodiversity, Hispanic/Latinx families who may resist early intervention and have difficulty advocating for their children, and military culture that may encourage suicide ideation in war veterans. The behavioral perspective can assist children in foster care find permanency, prevent disparities in placement and discipline for students of color and those with disabilities, aid Hispanic/Latinx families in accepting their children's autism and seeking early intervention, and prevent suicide by altering the messages from military culture.

Behavior analysts, psychologists, teachers, social workers, counselors, administrators and psychiatrists would be appropriate audience members for this symposium. This presentation should be at the intermediate level and audience members should have the ability to apply basic behavioral concepts such as positive and negative reinforcement, motivating operations, and discriminative stimuli.

Systemic racism and neurodiversity contribute to marginalized status for students of color and students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Systemic racism often results in a disproportionate number of students of color placed inappropriately in special education as well as disparities in discipline referrals. Students with intellectual and developmental disabilities are also subjected to inadequate teaching strategies, inappropriate placement, and disparities in discipline, particularly when their behavior escalates, and teachers and school administrators have difficulty understanding and managing their behavior. Rather than the “refer-test-place” model that is often seen in schools, the behavioral perspective includes assessment for competency rather than for placement, teaching strategies that overcome deficits and disabilities, consulting that empowers teachers to improve student performance and behavior, and dealing with challenging behavior through functional assessment and function-based intervention. Through the use of behavioral strategies marginalized status can be avoided, and all students can thrive and be successful in school.

Hispanic/Latinx families may resist the diagnosis of autism in their children due to misinformation from religious beliefs, language barriers, gender roles, family dynamics, and assumptions within the community about illnesses. This unwillingness to obtain diagnosis and treatment in the Hispanic community may prevent children with autism from getting early intervention and a complete education, from feeling that their disabilities are seen, and from realizing their wish for betterment to lead a fulfilling life. By understanding parents in the Hispanic culture’s attitudes and beliefs about autism and early intervention, we may be able to educate and empower parents to allow their children access to much needed diagnostic and intervention services. Compounding the problem of unwillingness to accept diagnoses and obtain early intervention are the barriers Hispanic families face in their attempts to obtain appropriate services when their children are identified in schools. Even when families have a basic understanding of the English language, grasping the meanings of the terminology used within the schools and discomfort with assertiveness make it difficult for families to advocate for their children. The behavioral perspective can provide families with the confidence and skills they need to find their voices.