Abstract
Applied behavior analysis (ABA) has the intent to improve the human condition in a broad range of categories of practice and for diverse groups of individuals across cultures. The data on the diversity of the professionals practicing in the field of ABA are sparse. Access to ABA intervention is inequitable, and cultural differences are not adequately addressed in many current established behavioral interventions. Cultural humility is a framework used by other professional disciplines to address both institutional and individual behavior that contributes to the power imbalance, the marginalization of communities, and disparities in health access and outcomes. This article discusses the adoption of culturally humble practices, specifically through the use of self-reflection, by the field of ABA to address disparities and improve outcomes. A specific framework from the field of social work is shared, and an adaptation to the behavior-analytic practice of self-management is provided.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baer, D. M., Wolf, M. M., & Risley, T. R. (1968). Some current dimensions of applied behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1, 91–97. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1968.1-91.
Baer, D. M., Wolf, M. M., & Risley, T. R. (1987). Some still-current dimensions of applied behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 3(20), 13–327. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1987.20-313.
Beaulieu, L., Addington, J., & Almeida, D. (2018). Behavior analysts’ training and practices regarding cultural diversity: The case for culturally competent care. Behavior Analysis in Practice. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-018-00313-6.
Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2017). Professional and ethical compliance code for behavior analysts. Retrieved from https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/170706-compliance-code-english.pdf
Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2007). Applied behavior analysis (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.
Critchfield, T. S., Doepke, K. J., Epting, K., Becirevic, A., Reed, D. D., Fienup, D. M., et al. (2017). Normative emotional responses to behavior analysis jargon or how not to use words to win friends and influence people. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 10, 97–106. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-016-0161-9.
Donaldson, A. L., Stahmer, A. C., Nippold, M., & Camara, S. (2014). Team collaboration: The use of behavioral principles for serving students with ASD. Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools, 45, 261–276. https://doi.org/10.1044/2014_LSHSS-14-0038
Fahlberg, B., Foronda, C., & Baptiste, D. (2016). Cultural humility: The key to patient/family partnerships for making difficult decisions. Nursing, 46, 14–16. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NURSE.0000490221.61685.e1.
Fallon, L., O’Keefe, R., & Sugai, G. (2012). Consideration of culture and context in school-wide positive behavior support: A review of current literature. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 14, 209–219. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098300711426334.
Fisher-Borne, M., Cain, J., & Martin, S. (2015). From mastery to accountability: Cultural humility as an alternative to cultural competence. Social Work Education, 34, 165–181. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2014.977244.
Fong, E. H., Catagnus, R., Brodhead, M., Quigley, S., & Field, S. (2016). Developing the cultural awareness skills of behavior analysts. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 9, 84–94. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-016-0111-6.
Freshman, B. (2016). Cultural competency: Best intentions are not good enough. Diversity and Equality in Health Care, 13, 240–244. https://doi.org/10.21767/2049-5471.1000e17
Hook, J. N., Davis, D. E., Owen, J., Worthington, E. L., Jr., & Utsey, S. O. (2013). Cultural humility: Measuring openness to culturally diverse clients. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 60, 353–366. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032595.
Kelly, A., & Tincani, M. (2013). Collaborative training and practice among applied behavior analysts who support individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 48, 120–131.
Koh, H., Garcia, N., & Alvarez, M. (2014). Culturally and linguistically appropriate services: Advancing health with CLAS. The New England Journal of Medicine, 371, 198–201.
National Association of Social Workers. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.socialworkers.org/Careers/Career-Center/Explore-Social-Work/WhyChoose-the-Social-Work-Profession
Nguyen, C., Krakowia, P., Hansen, R., Hertz-Picciotto, I., & Ankustisiri, K. (2016). Sociodemographic disparities in intervention service utilization in families of children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46, 3729–3738. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-016-2913-3.
Nomikoudis, M., & Starr, M. (2016). Cultural humility in education and work: A valuable approach for teachers, learners and professionals. In J. Arvanitakis & D. J. Hornsby (Eds.), Universities, the citizen scholar and the future of higher education. London: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 69-84. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137538697_6.
Nosik, M., Luke, M., & Carr, J. (2018). Representation of women in behavior analysis: An empirical analysis. Advance online publication. Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1037/bar0000118.
Stone, J., & Moskowitz, G. B. (2011). Non-conscious bias in medical decision making: What can be done to rescue it? Medical Education, 45, 768–776. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2923.2011.04026
Tervalon, M., & Murray-Garcia, J. (1998). Cultural humility versus cultural competence: A critical distinction in defining physician training outcomes in multicultural education. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 9, 117–125. https://doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2010.0233.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2017). National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports. Content last reviewed April 2019. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. https://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/nhqrdr/index.html
Funding
The author received no specific funding for this work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The author declares she has no conflict of interest.
Ethical Approval
This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by the author.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wright, P.I. Cultural Humility in the Practice of Applied Behavior Analysis. Behav Analysis Practice 12, 805–809 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-019-00343-8
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-019-00343-8