As experts of behavior science and providers of Fort Myers ABA therapy for kids with autism, an important part of our practice involves being culturally aware and considerate of our patients and their families.

There are many ways in which all kids, no matter their background, are very much the same. These similarities are what allow us to effectively study and understand behavior as a science – and in turn, successfully utilize many of the same evidence-based strategies with lots of different kids.

That said, the most demonstrably effective approach to therapy is one that is holistic. That means we zoom out. Beyond looking at a single deficit or issue, we consider the child as a whole person. We assess their unique strengths, goals, history, supports and environment. Culture is an integral part of this because it plays a significant role in shaping one’s beliefs, values, communication style, routines – and behaviors.

At FOCUS Therapy, we embrace diversity at our multidisciplinary pediatric therapy clinic – both among our staff and therapists and the patients and families we’re privileged to serve.

Sometimes, patient-therapist cultures align. Other times, they differ. And that’s a beautiful thing! It creates opportunities for us all to connect and learn and grow – as individuals, professionals and members of a shared community.

Ethical standards for behavior analysts compel us to be culturally considerate of patients and families, both in creating behavior support plans (BSPs) and in providing therapy. (Details are spelled out in the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts, Section 1.07, published by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board.)

But beyond any requirement, care for cultural differences makes us more effective therapists. A few reasons:

• ABA is highly individualized. Behavior treatment goals and procedures are always designed unique for each child. As such, behavior support plans will always be tailored to the specific needs, resources and circumstances of each patient and their family. Understanding a child’s cultural background helps us to create better interventions that are going to be particularly relevant and meaningful.
• It builds trust. The trust and rapport we have with kids and their families is essential to what we do. We’re a team, and it’s important that we can communicate both freely and effectively.
• It improves communication. Cultural differences can impact not just language, but communication styles – verbal and non-verbal. Having an awareness of these differences can help our child behavior therapists bridge the gaps and make the most of our time when we’re talking with families.

Some of the ways in which ABA therapy behavior support plans can incorporate cultural responsiveness:

• Language access. We need to be sure that language isn’t a significant barrier to facilitating care. We have bilingual therapists and staffers. Ensuring parents and families fully understand our goals and approaches – and that they also feel heard and understood – is key.
• Setting culturally-relevant goals. Culture can play a role in how families prioritize certain goals for their child. For instance, being able to functionally participate in a religious ceremony or setting may be very important to some families. Ultimately, we want the skills we’re teaching in ABA to be carried over into all environments. But we may start with a few that are particularly important to that child and that family.
• Flexible approaches. Flexibility is part of what ABA therapy is all about. It’s something we teach basically ALL our patients. As therapists, it’s important that we demonstrate it too. In adapting therapeutic approaches to fit cultural contexts, we might use more culturally-relevant examples, toys or books. We might slightly alter our style, pace or the exact words we’re using. But really, these sort of adjustments are already a part of our routine with all patients and families – because every child is different and ABA therapy never looks exactly the same for each kid anyway.

If you have questions about our ABA therapy or behavior consulting services, our dedicated team of child behavior experts at FOCUS Therapy is happy to discuss!

FOCUS offers child behavior consulting and ABA therapy in Fort Myers and throughout Southwest Florida. We also offer speech therapy, occupational therapy, ADOS testing, feeding & swallowing therapy and IEP planning assistance. Call (239) 313.5049 or Contact Us online.

Additional Resources:

Increasing Cultural Understanding and Diversity in Applied Behavior Analysis, 2017, Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice

More Blog Entries:

ABA Therapy vs. Behavior Consulting, May 3, 2024, Fort Myers ABA Therapy Blog