Building Autism Services from the Ground Up: The Story of ABA in Ecuador

When Mafer Chang Espinoza returned to Ecuador after completing her education in the United States, she found a country where autism was poorly understood, ABA was virtually nonexistent, and many families had nowhere to turn. Rather than accepting the status quo, she began building something entirely new. Starting with just a few children, ethical supervision from international mentors, and a vision for accessible services, Mafer founded Centro Enigma—an organization that has spent more than a decade transforming autism services throughout Ecuador. In this conversation, Ben and Mafer discuss: How Mafer first discovered behaviour analysis Returning home to Ecuador to build autism services Overcoming myths surrounding autism and ABA The challenges of practicing ethically without local certification pathways Building Centro Enigma from two clients into a nationally recognized organization Providing services to rural and underserved communities Adapting ABA to Ecuadorian culture and family life Training Ecuador's next generation of behaviour analysts Creating affordable parent coaching models Developing an inclusive school recognized by Ecuador's Ministry of Education Working with Global Autism Project Growing autism awareness across Ecuador The future of behaviour analysis in Latin America This episode is an inspiring example of persistence, leadership, and the power of behaviour analysis to create meaningful systems change. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/7sSeRA5Elbk Continuing Education Credits (https://www.cbiconsultants.com/shop) BACB: 1.0 Ethics IBAO:  1.0 Cultural QABA: 1.0 Ethics CBA/CPD: 1.0 Cultural Diversity   Follow us! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behaviourspeak/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/behaviourspeak/ TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@behaviorspeak   Contact Mafer LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-fernanda-chang-espinoza-b79889118/ Centro Enigma https://www.instagram.com/centroenigma/ https://centroenigma.com/ https://www.facebook.com/centroenigma UNIDAD EDUCATIVA FREDERIC SKINNER https://www.instagram.com/skinner.ecu/   If you enjoyed this conversation about the development of behaviour analysis in Ecuador, be sure to explore these related Behaviour Speak episodes featuring clinicians and leaders from across Latin America: Behaviour Analysis in Guatemala https://www.behaviourspeak.com/e/behavior-analysis-in-guatemala/ Behaviour Analysis in Venezuela https://www.behaviourspeak.com/e/episode-192-behavior-analysis-in-venezuela-with-dr-mirari-elcoro-amalix-flores-and-dr-corina-jimenez-gomez/ Behaviour Analysis in Puerto Rico https://www.behaviourspeak.com/e/episode-155-behavior-analysis-in-puerto-rico/ ¿Quiénes Somos? An Exploration of Latinidad in Behavior Analysis https://www.behaviourspeak.com/e/ep-172-quienes-somos-an-exploration-of-latinidad/ Análisis Aplicado de la Conducta en Colombia  https://www.behaviourspeak.com/e/ep-233-analisis-aplicado-de-la-conducta-en-colombia-con-johanna-avila-meza-msc-iba/ Análisis Aplicado de la Conducta en Argentina  https://www.behaviourspeak.com/e/ep-253-analisis-aplicado-dela-conducta-enargentinaconelizabethlopezmirandalicfonoaudiologiabcaba-iba-conla-presentadora-invitadajessie-arroyave-med/ Together, these conversations explore how behaviour analysts across Latin America are advancing autism services, building professional capacity, adapting evidence-based practices to local cultures, and creating more inclusive communities.