Association for Science in Autism Treatment

The Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT) is an American nonprofit organization whose stated goal is to "promote safe, effective, science-based treatments" for autistic people.^[3] Its primary focus is to promote most forms of applied behavior analysis (ABA). ASAT was founded by parent advocate Catherine Maurice in 1998 and is currently based in Hoboken, New Jersey.^[4][5]

As of 2025, ASAT does not consider any forms of treatment or support related to autism to be fully scientifically validated, except for most forms of ABA and some prescription medications. ASAT considers some forms of ABA, such as the Early Start Denver Model and applied verbal behavior, not fully proven. It has also classified the ABA-based Picture Exchange Communication System as the only fully proven form of augmentative and alternative communication for autistic people.^[6] The majority of ASAT's corporate officers and board members are ABA practitioners or work in the field of ABA in some other capacity.^[2]

ASAT has warned against chelation therapy as an autism treatment, noting that two children have been reported to have died as a result of this therapy, and concluding that "there is not enough scientific evidence available at this time to advocate a role for chelation of heavy metals in the treatment of autism, and there is potential for adverse side effects."^[7] They take a similar viewpoint with regard to the use of secretin.^[8] Treatments they consider to be unproven, rather than disproven, include homeopathy^[9] and animal therapy.^[10]

ASAT was criticized in 1999 by Bernard Rimland, who contended that ABA is not as effective as ASAT claims and called their position on autism treatments "nonsensical and counterfactual".^[11] ASAT responded by saying that, in recent years, the Autism Research Review International, where Rimland had published his article, had displayed "a consistent pattern of premature and uncritical promotion of treatment 'breakthroughs' in the absence of credible research support", including facilitated communication.^[12]