Dear Ms. Stieg,
The Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT), would like to thank you for your article entitled, “Costco Is Hosting Sensory-Friendly Shopping Hours For People With Autism.” This is an important topic because consumers may be unaware of options to accommodate individuals with special needs. We are grateful for the small but significant steps Costco and other stores have taken to service individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. The hope is that quiet shopping hour will allow for individuals on the autism spectrum and their family members to have a comfortable and enjoyable shopping experience. As you mentioned, small changes, like dimming the lights, turning off the music and other announcements, and reducing the number of employees on the floor, has the potential to make the shopping experience so much easier.
Many individuals on the autism spectrum may have challenging responses to sensory stimuli, such as “crowded aisles, free sample smells and flashing displays.” This can result in a difficult experience for the individual and his/her family, and may reduce the likelihood that the family will take the individual with ASD shopping. Not only is this a hardship on the family, but it may also decrease social opportunities for individuals with ASD and potentially the acquisition of a variety of life skills that may be involved in a community-based activity such as shopping.
In addition to the environmental modifications that stores can make, we would like to add that individualized, evidence-based interventions can also be used to help individuals with ASD successfully participate in the shopping experience and reduce challenging behaviors that may be associated with a highly stimulating environment. For example, using the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA), interventions involving differential reinforcement, behavioral skills training, desensitization procedures, shaping, and/or antecedent manipulations (to name a few) may be implemented to help make the shopping experience more pleasant for individuals with ASD and their families. We would encourage caregivers of individuals who may need more intensive assistance to investigate evidence-based interventions via our website, and to consult a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) for further information. The work Costco and other stores are doing to modify the environment can also set the occasion for more successful intervention, even when more intense, individualized assistance is needed. All around, this is a wonderful thing!
Thank you for spreading the word about this initiative. We are appreciative of the steps Costco and other stores have taken and are thankful for growing awareness and accommodation around some of the challenges that may be faced by individuals with ASD. Children (and adults) on the autism spectrum and their families deserve a place to shop comfortably year-round, no matter where they live. Even a simple change such as reducing environmental stimulation, can easily make a difference. We hope that Costco and other stores will continue to serve as models for accommodating individuals with ASD. We also encourage businesses and the community at large to research and evaluate additional evidence-based ways they may be able to effectively serve this population, and in turn, their communities.
Sincerely,
May Chriseline Beaubrun M.Ed., BCBA and Renee Wozniak, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Association for Science in Autism Treatment
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