Why Culture Matters in ABA: Building Respectful, Responsive, and Effective Care

When we support a child in ABA therapy, we are not just working with behaviours - we are working with a whole child, within a whole family, shaped by a world of experiences, values, and beliefs. One of the most important, and sometimes overlooked, influences on that world is culture.

Culture shapes how we communicate, how we parent, how we teach, how we respond to behaviour, and how we interpret the actions of others. It influences what families value, what they prioritize, and what they believe is respectful or disrespectful. In ABA, understanding and honouring a family's cultural background is not optional - it is essential to providing meaningful, ethical, and effective intervention.

Culture and Behaviour Are Closely Linked

Behaviour doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It is shaped by the environment, and culture is a major part of that environment. What is considered “appropriate” behaviour in one culture may be interpreted very differently in another.

For example:

• In some cultures, making direct eye contact with adults is seen as respectful and a sign of confidence. In others, it may be considered disrespectful or confrontational. If we set “makes eye contact” as a goal without understanding the family’s cultural norms, we may unknowingly cause discomfort or violate a family’s values.

• Teaching a child to use cutlery might be seen as a developmental goal in some households. But in families where eating with hands is culturally embedded, this may not be a relevant or valued skill.

• Some families may value gentle, non-punitive approaches to discipline, while others may believe that structured consequences are important and necessary for learning. Neither view is “wrong”; they are simply rooted in different cultural beliefs and parenting traditions.

When we overlook these nuances, we risk offering interventions that feel irrelevant, intrusive, or even offensive. But when we lean in with curiosity and respect, we can co-create goals that truly align with a family’s identity and priorities.

The Role of the Behaviour Analyst: Asking, Not Assuming

As behaviour analysts and therapists, we are trained to observe and analyze. But when it comes to culture, observation is not enough. We must ask. We must listen. We must seek to understand. During intake interviews, assessments, and ongoing therapy, asking culturally responsive questions helps us build trust and deliver care that feels personal and respectful. These questions might sound like:

• “Are there any behaviours you would or would not be comfortable addressing in therapy?”

• “What does a successful outcome look like for you, in the context of your values?”

• “Are there any cultural or religious beliefs we should know about to better support your child?”

• “Are there any routines, customs, or practices in your home that are important for us to understand?”

These conversations are not just respectful, they are clinically relevant. They help us avoid placing unnecessary goals, ignoring important boundaries, or creating treatment plans that don’t fit the family’s daily life.

Culturally Sensitive ABA is Ethical ABA

Cultural responsiveness is not separate from ethical practice; it is part of it. The BACB Ethics Code for Behaviour Analysts reminds us to respect the dignity, values, and autonomy of the people we serve. That includes honouring their culture and integrating it into every aspect of care.

When we collaborate with families in a culturally sensitive way:

• We build stronger therapeutic alliances

• We increase parent buy-in and participation

• We create interventions that are more likely to be maintained over time

• We affirm each family's identity and promote true inclusivity

  
  

A Call to Practice with Curiosity and Compassion

At Nova ABA Services, we serve families from many backgrounds, traditions, and belief systems, and we consider it a privilege to learn from each of them. Culture is not a barrier to therapy; it is a bridge. When we take the time to understand and honour it, we unlock new possibilities for connection, cooperation, and meaningful progress.

So let us approach each family not just with goals and data sheets, but with open hearts and open minds. Let us remember that good ABA is not only evidence-based, it is people-based, and people are shaped by culture, stories, and values that deserve to be seen, respected, and embraced.