Building on Common Ground: Autistic Adults’ and Parents of Young Autistic Children’s Perspectives of Early Behavioral Intervention Practices

The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of autistic adults and parents of autistic children regarding applied behavior analysis (ABA)-based early intervention, their beliefs about best practices in early intervention, and their recommendations for improving service delivery. A mixed-methods design was used to compare quantitative survey data from 70 participants (33 autistic adults, 37 parents) with qualitative interview responses (12 autistic adults, 12 parents), exploring perceptions of ABA and early intervention implementation. Quantitative analyses revealed significant group differences in perceptions of ABA's benefits and side effects: parents rated ABA-based interventions more positively overall, whereas autistic adults expressed greater concern about potential harms. Despite these differences, both groups endorsed core best-practice principles, emphasizing naturalistic, child-led, and person-centered approaches. Qualitative findings further highlighted the importance of transparency, individualized goal setting, and partnership between families and practitioners. Across groups, participants valued early interventions that promote children's autonomy and overall well-being. Together, these findings reveal both areas of convergence and divergence in how invested parties perceive ABA-based early intervention and its implementation. Implications for practice include the need to strengthen collaborative, compassionate, and advocacy-driven partnerships among autistic individuals, families, and behavior analysts to enhance social validity, ethical integrity, and inclusivity in early intervention systems.