We are the sum total of our genetic makeup and our environmental experiences. It's not 50% genetics and 50% environment. It's 100% of both that make us what we are and our individualized learning and growth makes us who we are. While much has been made of "Autism Awareness," at this point, a month dedicated to awareness, I would like to make the point that ABA as a treatment model for problem solving focuses on what we do, not who we are. ABA is not about changing who a person is but certainly addresses the awareness of everyone involved in an ABA treatment model, at least when it is done right. Most of the misunderstanding about ABA, and likely the diagnosis of autism, is that autism defines who you are and that ABA treatment changes who you are. Some factions even say "leave me and my autism alone, I don't want to change."

An ASD Diagnosis

Autism is defined as a noun as the following:1 A mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts.

Autism Speaks website presents this about ASD. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors. With the May 2013 publication of the DSM-5 diagnostic manual, all autism disorders were merged into one umbrella diagnosis of ASD. Previously, they were recognized as distinct subtypes, including autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger syndrome. Autism is commonly identified as consisting of "persistent deficits and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior." The point being made here is that the definition of autism changes over time.ABA is about "understanding" a person's behavior and focuses on problem solving regardless of any diagnostic label. Many of the distinguishing characteristics attributed to autism are present in a wide range of diagnosis including a wide range of behaviors in people without any specific diagnosis. To make a point, autism is a label assigned to a person when their diagnosis meets specific criteria. Autism is not detectable by a blood or medical test or a chemical analysis. Rather autism is detected by the behaviors displayed (or lack of behaviors displayed) by an individual. If we were to address the awareness of a person with autism we would be addressing the behaviors they do or do not do.ABA, properly done, uses what we know about the science of behavior, behavior analysis, to solve problems. ABA is defined by seven dimensions that focus on addressing socially significant problems. Based on what is commonly stated about persons with ASD the problems are either due to deficits (absence of skills) or restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior. Who determines what behavior to change becomes the most important question! This is where the likely first and most common misconception and often misunderstanding of autism and ABA begins.For the behavior to be "socially significant" the behaviors targeted to change, such as addressing a deficit which requires teaching a functional behavior so there is no deficit, must be identified by those people who are impacted "socially" and therefore be identified by those same people such that the behavior becomes significant, to the client, family and community (which includes schools, social environments and community businesses). This is the most important aspect of "understanding" a person with an ASD label.

Support and Understanding

The basic support system that will reinforce the important socially significant behaviors in the best interest of the person, and their social community, use their understanding of why they do not have the behavioral skills essential to be able to function effectively in a socially acceptable manner, the family and community. It is NOT the behaviorist job or role to tell the client, family, or community which behaviors are socially significant; the behaviorists' role is to teach the skills identified by the "consumers" of the client's behavior, which includes, again, the client, family and community. Further if restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior are determined to comprise socially significant problems, the behaviors to acquire are those that replace the problem behaviors. To "understand" a person with autism is to teach the client, the family and the community support system how to support and reinforce the behaviors that will be socially significant in their lives and their environments with the focus on improving the quality of life for the person and those impacted by the person's behavior.

Accepting Different Behaviors

Applied Behavior Analysis is about identifying how behavior functions for the individual and problem solving by involving the client, family and community to use the natural reinforcement of a social community to participate in "understanding" and accepting the individual's situation, their strengths and weaknesses and dedicating combined efforts that will enrich the lives of everyone involved. That to me, is "understanding" how to help anyone with ASD be able to participate as fully as possible in a higher quality of life, as we all want to do. It is not about the label, it is about understanding the person involved. It is the "understanding" of how to work together to improve engagement in life's requirements to be successful to the extent possible. We have become aware and we understand how behavior is acquired and can be changed. Now we need to move now to "accepting" the differences exhibited by a diagnosis of ASD. Accepting differences in the behavior of people has long been a challenge in society.