Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice

Advisor

Khrystyna Bednarchyk

Committee Member

Judith B. Galician

Committee Member

Kimberly Durham

Keywords

applied behavior analysis, cultural responsiveness, middle school students, disabilities, phenomenological study

Abstract

This phenomenological study explored the perceptions of applied behavior analysis (ABA) practitioners regarding culturally responsive education and practices when providing interventions to middle school students with disabilities from diverse cultural backgrounds. The research addressed gaps in training and implementation, aiming to uncover practitioners' lived experiences, challenges, and training needs to enhance equitable service delivery. Using transcendental phenomenology, data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews and focus groups with five ABA practitioners (RBTs, BCaBAs, and BCBAs) from South Florida, all of Hispanic descent, with 3–5 years of experience. Thematic analysis revealed four key themes: inadequate training and resources for cultural responsiveness, challenges in communication and cultural understanding, adaptation strategies for culturally responsive practice, and systemic changes needed in the ABA field. Participants reported minimal formal training, relying on experiential learning, which led to reactive approaches and potential inequities. Communication barriers, such as language differences, hindered effective interventions, while practitioners adapted by building family rapport, using interpreters, and avoiding assumptions. Systemic recommendations included mandatory cultural competence courses, diverse workforce recruitment, and ongoing professional development. Grounded in cultural-historical activity theory and critical race theory, the findings highlight the urgency of integrating cultural responsiveness into ABA ethics, curricula, and supervision to counter systemic racism and implicit biases. Implications for practice include family-centered interventions and policy reforms to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board standards. This study contributes qualitative insights into middle school contexts, emphasizing cultural humility for socially valid outcomes and advocating for anti-racist transformations in ABA to promote justice and equity for diverse students. Future research should employ larger samples and mixed methods to validate and expand these findings.

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