December 11, 2023

Families First: A Conversation about Compassionate Behavior Analysis with Summer Mingo, M.Ed., BCBA

Summer Mingo is the Co-Founder of South Georgia Behavior Associates, situated in the heart of rural South Georgia. She works primarily in autism and IDD services and is a passionate advocate for responsive, community-informed practices. Summer is an advocate for elevating practices through the neurodiversity paradigm and actively champions its implementation and education. She firmly believes in bridging the gap between the communities she serves and the realms of research and treatment. Summer is dedicated to fostering connections, promoting understanding, and advancing the cause of neurodiversity to inspire positive change within the communities she serves.

Rather than supporting the individual, much of your work focuses on supporting the familial unit. How does this approach differ from other providers, and how does it influence learner outcomes? 

My work focuses heavily on creating systems around families, such as making connections with various communities, service organizations, and other needed therapies. It often includes coordinating with other providers, attending medical appointments, making sure the family has quality respite lined up or has a network to allow them to take breaks, and Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACTr)-based parent collaboration that is individualized to their unique challenges and needs. This approach may differ from what is offered in the tiered model as it isn’t solely focused on their interactions with their loved one, but works to support them while also learning the things we expect from caretakers. I have found this reduces overall stress on families when connecting them with resources and education that fits their needs. It helps to prevent burnout which directly ties into the fidelity of our caretaker goals. This model validates caretaker experiences and prevents feelings of isolation, improving their ability to create sustainable change. 

Parent participation can be challenging when parents are working, taking care of siblings, or juggling the many tasks that parents must tackle daily. Knowing parental involvement is critical for learner outcomes, how do you approach parent involvement?

I use various behavior analytic frameworks to maximize our time together. Those include ACTr and making sure our time is meaningful, helpful and also regularly scheduled. I make sure that parents get small wins early and often to provide natural reinforcement of their time invested with me. The goal is that these meetings aren’t a drain on their schedule but add value to their lives.

One criticism of ABA is that programming does not always reflect the learner's or family's values. Could you comment on this and share what person-centered means to you?

If we don’t consider all the barriers and buffers needed for a family to succeed, we are hoping at best and careless at worst with our programming. Our learners do not exist in a clinical vacuum, but live, love, and rest in a unit (whatever that may look like). By shifting focus to the unit and being responsive to their needs as a family, we are making sure to account for and potentially mitigate further adverse experiences for both the family and the learner. It takes time and effort to build that therapeutic rapport, but behavior-analytic frameworks have already been published, pushing us in this direction. 

There is a distressing amount of anti-ABA sentiment in parent communities, many of whom associate ABA with punishment and compliance. As an esteemed Practical Functional Assessment and Skill-Based Treatment (PFA/SBT) community member, could you speak to the negative feedback our field has received and explain how the PFA/SBT approach differs from traditional ABA?

Honestly, PFA and SBT aren’t anything new for ABA. It is a wonderful packaged system that teaches the art of shaping as it relates to severe interfering behavior that is costly to the learner and their settings. What is different about PFA and SBT is the values it stands on. If you would not feel comfortable televising your sessions, there is something wrong. There is great debate about that also, as there is a perception that anyone can feel they are being nice and still be doing harm, which is a valid concern. Another tenet is fine-tuning what happy, relaxed, and engaged (HRE) means and what it looks like for each learner. I personally tie this back to indications of assent and dissent and track this in ways that are idiosyncratic for the learner. One last piece I’d like to touch on that is different is the synthesized reinforcement aspect of the PFA and the subsequent treatment after assessing for it. These contingencies are a little different than the four main functions (attention, escape, alone, automatic). PFA and SBT teach that functions may have multiple functions combined, which allows for a better functional analysis under different conditions. To me, this is attempting to understand someone on a deeper level than fitting them into four boxes and pounding away at reducing versus building emerging skills.

What is your definition of a good behavior analyst? 

A good behavior analyst aims to understand behavior through the lens of compassion, as Drs. Tarbox and Szabo say, “from the root.” They seek functional assessments grounded in scientific principles, but recognize that behavior occurs in the context of multiple factors, including mental and physical health, emotions, environment, culture, trauma, and more. Their analyses avoid assumptions or blame about an individual or their support systems.

Interventions promoted by a good behavior analyst empower those they serve by amplifying their dignity and autonomy. Recommendations balance evidence-based practices with learners' values, needs, and preferences. Data collection causes no harm and focuses on capturing strengths and progress toward self-determined goals. Confidentiality is respected.

A good behavior analyst forges trusting relationships with learners and stakeholders through open communication and person-centered collaboration. They recognize and mitigate the power differentials inherent in their role. Humility guides their practice as they continue learning from learners, colleagues, and communities.

Above all, a good behavior analyst follows ethical codes to "above all, do no harm." Learners' well-being, self-efficacy, and quality of life are prioritized from assessment to intervention and evaluation. Progress is measured as mutually understood improvements to health, independence, and self-actualization.

What advice do you have for parents whose child has just received an autism diagnosis? 

Receiving an autism diagnosis for your loved one can be extremely overwhelming. Please know that you are not alone. Focus first on taking care of yourself and finding support. Reach out to understanding friends and family, connect with other parents through local or online support groups, have your support system help you find resources, and don't hesitate to seek counseling if you need help processing this emotionally.

As you educate yourself about autism, try to learn from autistic adults and advocates in addition to professionals. Understand that your child is a unique, wonderful person first—not a collection of deficits to be fixed. Your loved one is exactly the same person they were before the diagnosis and deserves people in their life dedicated to not seeing the label but remaining attached to the person. Every child develops differently, regardless of a diagnosis. Focus on getting to know your child, discovering their strengths and talents, and learning how to best support their needs. With the right support, most autistics can and do lead very fulfilling lives no matter their severity level or the current set of behaviors that exist. It just looks different.

Be wary of those who claim quick fixes, make guarantees about recovery or normalization, or recommend intensive therapies not backed by evidence. There is no cure for autism, as it is a core part of who your loved one is. Embrace this journey with patience and compassion for yourself and your child. You've got this, and you are not alone.

Can you offer any advice to parents to help them determine whether a potential provider is a good match for their family?

I created a list of questions to help caregivers navigate interviewing potential providers, which can be a helpful starting point. Above everything, upon meeting a provider, ask yourself: Are they with you, listening to what you are disclosing? Do they ask how you would like to be incorporated into creating goals? Do they dismiss or rush you? Are they transparent with what services will look like? Where will services take place? Who will actually be working with your loved one? Are they committed to keeping you in the loop about progress and next steps?

What is one way neurotypicals can foster greater inclusivity for autistic individuals?

Uplifting autistic perspectives. Too often, discussions regarding autism and interventions happen without autistic involvement. Instead, prioritize outreach to learn from autistic people about their lived experiences. What challenges do they face? What types of support or policy change might create more accessible environments? What misconceptions do they frequently encounter? Autistic communities are incredibly diverse, and only direct insights can do justice to that richness. Seek those voices out proactively.

Amplify the viewpoints, advocacy, scholarship, and art of autistic individuals themselves. Put aside preconceived notions around communication styles, intelligence, or capabilities. When autistic people are empowered to shape wider understanding, the results are always more just and compassionate. Exclusion only serves to maintain barriers and the status quo. Autistically-led conversations create ripples of positive change.

The responsibility for inclusion rests with neuromajority—each of us, whether individuals, practitioners, communities, educators, or policymakers, bears that ethical duty. Simply leaving space and upholding dignity makes all the difference.

Can you recommend any resources for autistics, parents, or the providers who support them? 

Exploring books by autistic authors offers invaluable insights into lived experiences. I also recommend joining local support groups and social skills classes to connect with nearby families and autistic individuals. Additionally, consulting your loved one's providers may yield helpful resources.

Connect with Summer on LinkedIn to learn more about her work.