Diversity in the Autism Field with Dr. Fumi Horner
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Autism does not discriminate against culture, race, ethnicity, religion, or language. It affects children and families around the world. Dr. Fumi Horner, born and raised in Japan, is a BCBA at the doctoral level. Her passion lies in diversity in autism as well as cultural competence. Today we are discussing how we can do better with diverse families and in the autism field as a whole.
Diversity as described by Dr. Horner is all about individual differences and accepting each individual and family how they are. She emphasizes the cultural differences unique to every single person and that just because you share the same color or cultural religious practices, does not mean you would have the same experiences, ideas, or preferences. It is important to be open to listen and understand with every client and case because they have different priorities and needs.
Language is a really common barrier when working with families from different countries and cultures. While it may seem like a priority to focus on English, the primary language of the school a child would attend should address the family’s needs. If adult caretakers do not speak English, then how will they communicate with the child? There has to be a clear balance and acceptance of how every individual is different and will need different focuses of care. For example, some cultures accept extended bed-sharing and spoon-feeding. While this may be a delay and area to work on for some American families, this may not be an area needed for families of specific cultures and practices. Start by building a relationship with the family first to understand who they are and what they need.
As a Japanese native who speaks English as her second language, Dr. Horner has a unique perspective on diversity in the autism field. When she was finishing school and looking for her practicum, she found it difficult to find placement because they were lacking the training needed for therapists to communicate with families and be sensitive to cultural differences. This became a motivator for her to create quality training for clinicians and identify the points where the current systems were missing the mark.
America is one of the few countries that has funding systems for ABA and a qualified board for BCBAs. In the past, the BCBA exam had been translated and offered in other countries, but the board has pulled back. The emphasis needs to be on other countries creating their own boards and advocating for the funding of ABA. Dr. Horner offers webinars to disseminate the information to Japanese parents as a BCBA trained in America.
It will take time, effort, funding, and years of advocacy to bring the world up to the American standards of ABA. However, Dr. Fumi’s webinars and online courses, like the ones I offer on my website, can help educate parents and bridge the gap of access to ABA around the world. Every child and every family deserves the resources and opportunities to turn autism around and improve their quality of life.
Today’s Guest
You’ll Learn
- What is diversity? Dr. Horner’s perspective.
- Cultural differences in families of children with autism.
- Working with families from different cultures.
- Diversity in the autism field.
- Access to ABA in other countries.
Resources
- MaryBarbera.com/workshop(Sign up for a free workshop online for parents and professionals)
- Autism in Black Families: Interview with Maria Davis-Pierre from Autism in Black
- Autism in India & ABA Training in Multiple Languages | Interview with Dr. Smita Awasthi
- Fumi Horner, PhD, BCBA-D – VP of Clinical Quality, Outcomes and Research – Bierman ABA