No Less Worthy: Recommendations for Behavior Analysts Treating Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities with Dignity

• Published in: Behavior analysis in practice Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 71 - 79
• Main Authors: Reid, Dennis H., Rosswurm, Mary, Rotholz, David A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-03-2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adults; Behavior; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Developmental disabilities; Dictionaries; Disability; Discussion and Review Paper; Families & family life; Graphs; People with disabilities; Perceptions; Psychology; Intellectual and developmental disabilities; Dignity; Adults
• ISSN: 1998-1929; 2196-8934
• DOI: 10.1007/s40617-017-0203-y

In this article, the authors offer recommendations for behavior analysts on how to treat adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) with dignity. Initially, the importance of treating adults with disabilities with dignity is emphasized in terms of the impact on people with IDD, their family members, behavior analysts and other service providers, and the behavior analysis field in general. The recommendations are based primarily on the authors’ professional and personal experiences along with similar experiences of others involved either personally or professionally in the disability field. The focus is on ways in which behavior analysts speak and behave that reflect dignity versus the lack thereof as perceived by others and, where relevant, consensus opinion within the professional field of IDD. Ways for behavior analysts to acquire and maintain awareness of manners of speaking and behaving that reflect dignity within the local settings in which they work are also provided.