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No description available.

The increasing prevalence of autism in the United States is a growing concern, with access to evidence-based services failing to keep pace with the demand. Families located in rural or remote areas are further hindered in attempts to access services due to both location and general lack of medical and behavioral healthcare providers. A major advancement in spreading the reach of interventions, such as applied behavior analysis, has been the development and refinement of telehealth. With growing interest in using technology to reach a wider client base, research on telehealth-based parent training for families impacted by autism has begun to increase. Despite the increase in research, many areas remain underdeveloped; therefore, this project sought to contribute to the literature by investigating the effectiveness of and expanding upon a manualized, behaviorally based parent-training program designed specifically for telehealth delivery. Procedures in Study 1 examined the relationship between standardized, parent-report measures of child problem behavior and an observational measure delivered via telehealth using Pearson Correlation Coefficients. Results of this study suggested using a combination of standardized measures and comprehensive observation-based data collection methods may enhance remote monitoring of child problem behavior. Procedures in Study 2 replicated and extended previous research to evaluate the Online and Applied System for Intervention Skills (OASIS-D) parent-training program as a method for increasing parent knowledge and skill in delivering applied behavior analytic (ABA) services to their child with autism. Effectiveness of the training program was evaluated in a multiple baseline across family dyad design. The results indicated that telehealth delivery of the OASIS-D program increases parent skill and knowledge in delivering ABA services, with four of four participants showing similar effects. Furthermore, the results indicated that telehealth-based training programs could benefit individuals in rural and remote areas. These studies provide needed information and support for increasing the availability and continued access of telehealth-delivered interventions when providing treatments to families impacted by autism.

This paper describes the development of a brief self-report screening measure of adherence to social distancing and self-protective behaviors in pandemic situations. It provides initial statistical evaluations of correlations between social distancing behaviors and two trait measures (social desirability and trait empathy). Items measures were designed to quantify behaviors recommended by the CDC as primary strategies to prevent and reduce the spread of the COVID-19 infection. An item pool of 29 questions was generated with the aim of estimating the frequency of specific behaviors and were written to avoid confounding the description of behavioral actions with evaluative judgements. Responses were collected from 401 young adults using an anonymous online survey. An Exploratory Factor Analysis was conducted with the purpose of item reduction and subscale development. A 14-item Social Distance Scale (SDS) emerged, consisting of 4-subscales: Isolation from Community (IC), Work from Home (WH), Family Contact (FC), and Protective Behaviors (PB). The initial psychometric evaluation of the scales indicated adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The Social Distance Scale is a promising new instrument which may be applied at the population or individual level. It may be used in conjunction with COVID-19 testing to measure interactions between social distancing factors and transmission. In addition, a reliable screening measure has utility for health service providers to assess patient risk and to provide education/counseling. A secondary purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between trait empathy and social distancing. A MANCOVA was performed using the four subscales of the SDS v.1 with Empathy Group and Gender Group as fixed factors and the Socially Desirable Response Set (SDRS-5) as a covariate. The SDRS-5 was found to be a significant covariate for both the IC and PB subscales of the SDS v.1 , where higher levels of socially desirable responding lead to higher scores on IC and PB. It was hypothesized that participants high in self-reported trait empathy would demonstrate higher levels of social distancing. Indeed it was found that a significant main effect for Empathy Group emerged, where Empathy Group was significantly related to IC, WH, and PB. In line with expectations, participants in the High Empathy Group scored higher on these three dimensions of social distancing than those in the Low Empathy Group. A significant main effect for Gender Group was obtained for PB. Women were found to be significantly more likely to engage in protective behaviors such as hand washing, mask wearing, and maintaining 6 feet of distance than men.

<p>The rising prevalence of developmental disabilities has created an increased demand for service providers capable of delivering behavior-analytic services with high fidelity. As the need for these services continues to grow, ensuring that service providers have easy access to the essential training for delivering high-quality services becomes paramount. This dissertation aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and acceptability of asynchronous training methods in developing service providers' skills to effectively implement trial-based functional analysis (TBFA).</p> <p><br></p> <p>In Study 1, four board-certified behavior analysts (BCBA) were trained using an asynchronous model, which included remote behavior skills training and self-monitoring. Three BCBAs achieved mastery criteria for all TBFA conditions, while one BCBA required additional support through self-monitoring to meet the criteria for the escape condition. While the BCBAs showed improved accuracy in implementing TBFA, they faced challenges in fully generalizing their skills to actual clients, indicating the need for planned support to enhance skill generalization. In Study 2, four BCBA trainees were trained using the same asynchronous model, but with increased mastery criteria and planned supports available during the generalization phase. The findings showed that all BCBA trainees met the mastery criteria when using TBFA with video-annotated feedback, and the inclusion of planned supports during the generalization phase resulted in consistent implementation with 100% fidelity across all TBFA conditions, highlighting the importance of such supports for skill generalization.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Overall, the dissertation suggests that asynchronous training methods hold promise for training service providers, but the availability of planned supports is essential for effective skill generalization. The study's major findings and implications for practice are discussed, along with directions for future research.</p> <p><br></p>

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of a peer-mediated social skills intervention (PMI) on children 6-12 years of age diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Current literature discusses the effects of peer-mediated social skills interventions for children with ASD in schools and on the playground but has not been conducted in an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) clinic or in an Early Childhood Education/ABA-integrated preschool. Three dyads, each consisting of a typical peer and a target child diagnosed with ASD, participated in this study. The frequency of participants' initiations, responses, and continuations were collected throughout all phases, and levels of social anxiety were collected from both members of the dyad periodically using the Severe Measure for Social Anxiety Disorder Child Age (11-17) questionnaire (SMSAD). A multiple baseline across participants design featuring a baseline phase, peer training, intervention without materials, intervention with materials, and generalization probes was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the procedures on communication. The results demonstrate an increase in responses across two target children. The frequency of continuations increased for one target child and initiations increased in another target child. Levels of social anxiety decreased for two dyads while the SMSAD questionnaire was not administered to the other dyad. The results of this study indicate that there may be a relationship between peer-mediated interventions and social anxiety levels. The results also indicate that peer-mediated interventions may provide positive outcomes in social interactions between children with ASD and neurotypical peers in ABA settings. Implementing peer-mediated interventions in ABA settings may provide opportunities that could ease the social transition from ABA services to an integrated setting by increasing the number of social interactions between children with ASD and their peers. Peer-mediated social skills interventions may have more of an impact on children who emit limited, independent interactions with peers.

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While the popularity of animal-assisted interventions (AAI) continues to increase, the empirical support to justify its use is still debatable. What is also largely absent from the extant literature are large-scale examinations of clinician populations that may incorporate AAI in their practices. This survey study was conducted to examine the use, perceptions, and knowledge of animal incorporation practices incorporated into ABA services by ABA clinicians that serve children and youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A total of 544 ABA clinicians within the United States completed the web-based survey instrument. Data confirmed that respondents have not only considered the incorporation of animals into ABA services, but a meaningful number have also engaged in animal incorporation practices. Dogs were the most frequently incorporated animal with intervention and animal characteristics variable across respondents. Respondents reported animal incorporation as desirable and feasible, but had generally low levels of knowledge about animal-assisted interventions. Perceptions of the effects of human-animal interactions on children and youth with ASD were overall positive. Results of this study uncovered a number of concerns related to professional implications and animal welfare.

The purpose of this study, a formative program evaluation, was to provide an overview of treatment integrity rates, attitudes, and assessment methods within a specialized school for children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The study utilized a partnership model whereby the evaluators worked collaboratively with primary stakeholders (school administrators) to determine areas of focus for the evaluation. The program evaluation was conducted between August 2009 and August 2010, spanning one school year. The evaluation participants were the school's teachers. The evaluation was based on an exploratory case study design and included both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data consisted of direct observations of treatment adherence to behavior plans in classrooms, teacher knowledge of treatment content assessed in quizzes, and observations of teacher engagement with students at recess. Qualitative data consisted of teacher surveys and focus groups. The evaluation yielded an in-depth assessment of treatment integrity within the school; an intervention to define and enhance teacher engagement during recess was also developed and implemented.