Applied Behavior Analysis Research Articles

16 Autistic Perspectives on the Acceptability of Paediatric Autism Therapies

Abstract Background Autistic children and their families access services, such as occupational therapy (OT), speech language pathology (SLP) services, applied behaviour analysis (ABA)-based therapies and physiotherapy (PT). There are varying levels of evidence supporting the efficacy of these therapies, and some autistic-led advocacy is critical of the methods and aims of certain services. Exploring stakeholder perspectives is critical to ensure services are appropriate and informed by lived experiences. This work is part of a larger survey that explored the perspectives of autistic individuals, parents of autistic children, and clinicians on these services. Objectives This study explored how autistic people perceive the acceptability of OT, SLP services, ABA-based therapies, and PT. Design/Methods Using the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability (TFA), a survey was built with input from autistic people, parents of autistic children, and clinicians and shared online through social media and autism organizations. Demographic data and perspectives were captured. An acceptability sub-score was produced for each therapy, ranging from 0 (least accepting) to 64 (most accepting). The sub-scores were combined into an overall acceptability score. Open-ended questions were qualitatively analyzed using deductive content analysis following the TFA, and categories within constructs of ethicality are presented. Results 21 autistic people completed the survey, and their median (range) sub-scores were OT 40 (16 – 56), SLP 43.5 (28 – 57), ABA 19.5 (8 – 48), PT 39.5 (28 – 57). Qualitative categories within the TFA construct of ethicality included: 1) concerns about harms and negative experiences that can potentially occur because of therapies; 2) a lack of support for what respondents identified as behavioural techniques or methods. Conclusion Findings are similar to existing perspectives that some autistic people have towards ABA-based therapies. However, these findings highlight that some autistic people may view any therapy as unacceptable if it incorporates behavioural methods. Further work is needed to better understand aspects of behavioral methods that are viewed as unacceptable, given that some strategies, such as positive reinforcement, are used in different therapies and with the general population. Future work should explore perspectives from larger samples. Potential competing interests Melanie Penner has received consulting fees from the province of Nova Scotia and Addis & Associates / Roche, and research grant funding from Autism Speaks.

Professional development on the basics of behavior assessment and intervention: training by school district staff for district staff

Research shows that schools struggle with conducting high quality functional behavior assessments (FBA) and implementing effective behavior intervention plans (BIP). Access to training is a documented challenge to effective implementation. One training with preliminary empirical support is Basic FBA. This pilot study extended the research on Basic FBA to determine whether the intervention could be implemented effectively by district staff. Fourteen staff working in an urban school district completed within-district training consisting of four modules on FBA/BIP with aligned between-session assignments; half were randomly assigned to receive coaching support. Participants increased their knowledge and skill in FBA/BIP and rated the training as socially acceptable. Differences in outcomes for coached and control groups were minimal, with some higher social validity ratings and more FBA/BIPS developed by those receiving coaching.

Commentary: Advancing Applied Behavioral Science with Larger and Longer Field Partnerships

Commentary: Advancing Applied Behavioral Science with Larger and Longer Field Partnerships

Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Gulf Region in the Middle East

Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Gulf Region in the Middle East

A framework for neurodiversity-affirming interventions for autistic individuals.

Despite being targets of intervention practice and research for over 60 years, autistic people have been left out of the conversation. Until recently, nearly no research or implementation work has sought the input of autistic people in regard to the design of interventions and, more importantly, how the goals for such interventions are prioritized and determined. This reframe has profound implications for autism-focused interventions and research, most of which have aimed to reduce or eliminate autism symptoms, with variable empirical support (Bottema-Beutel, 2023). These outcomes are practically and ethically incompatible with a neurodiversity perspective. Most prominently, applied behavior analysis (ABA), which was the first intervention approach widely applied to autistic people, has come under increasing scrutiny and criticism for failing to include autistic people in the design of intervention elements and consideration of goals; moreover, autistic people are increasingly identifying iatrogenic effects they have experienced when receiving ABA (Bottema-Beutel, 2023), with these concerns often being met with minimization rather than an endorsement of their validity and willingness to hear them out. Thus, there is a pressing need for a neurodiversity-affirming interventions (NAI) framework for autism. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Methods Strategy and Individual Methods for Autism Child of Development Process in Indonesia

Autism Home Karawang’s branch is the most popular children's special needs school in Karawang society. This school also applies the ABA and individual methods during the learning process because these two methods have been applied to an autistic child and its development has been proven to be faster. This study aims to determine the instructional communication used in the teaching and learning process at Autism Home Karawang, to find out the reasons for using the ABA and individual methods in teaching autistic children at Autism Home Karawang, and to find out what factors support and inhibit the teaching and learning process at Autism Home Karawang. This research provides new findings in the field of educational communication research, particularly regarding learning strategies that can be used by teachers in teaching schools for children with special needs. This research method is qualitative with a case study approach. The data collection techniques are through observation, deep interviews, and documentation. The informant in this study amounted to 6 persons. The result of this study is that the implementation of both methods is quite easy to apply, and makes the child develop quickly. These two methods are applied because they are easy to implement and have been proven to help.

Barriers to Use of Experimental Analysis in Applied Behavior Analysis Clinical Practice

Barriers to Use of Experimental Analysis in Applied Behavior Analysis Clinical Practice

Applied behavior analysis interventions for autism spectrum disorders

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) has been considered the gold standard intervention for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for over 60 years. ABA, as a therapeutic intervention, dates to the 1960s and first appeared in studies conducted by Ole Ivar Lovaas. ABA gained the attention of many practitioners in 1987 when Lovaas reported children who received 40 hours or more of ABA treatment per week had significantly better outcomes than children who received 10 hours or less of ABA treatment per week after 2 or more years of intervention (Lovaas, 1987). Lovaas and his team of trained student therapists used interventions informed by behaviorism to target self‐stimulatory behaviors, play skills, and expressive language skills among other targeted goals and found that 47% of children in the experimental group achieved a normal score for intellectual and educational functions compared to 2% of children in the control group (Lovaas, 1987).

The Lived Experiences of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) Therapists Implementing Teletherapy to Children with Autism in Autism Recovery Network Singapore

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges in teletherapy for Behaviour Therapists, especially in implementing home education for children with special needs. These challenges require addressing strategies, accommodations, internet connections, and gadgets to ensure effective e-learning for children with special needs. Continuous assessment and teaching methods for children with autism are essential during the pandemic. Parents should support their mental health, as it is crucial for their well-being. Further research is needed to provide evidence-based data for schools, therapists, teachers, and parents.

Therapeutic Relationships in Applied Behavior Analysis: Current Status and Future Directions.

For behavior analytic practitioners, skills related to building a therapeutic alliance (e.g., empathic statements, reflective listening, affirmations) may be as important as knowledge of and skills in implementation of the science of behavior analysis. We surveyed 277 board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) to learn more about their training, use of these skills, and their perceptions of how their skills might have changed over years of practicing. The findings suggest that behavior analysts may benefit from explicit training in skills required to establish and maintain therapeutic relationships with parents of children with autism. In this article we review recent research in this area and suggest directions for training of behavior analysts. Further, motivational interviewing is introduced as an evidence-based clinical approach that encompasses many of the skills required to build a therapeutic alliance.

Implementation of Functional Behavior Assessments for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities Exhibiting Sexually Inappropriate Behaviors

A functional behavior assessment is an evidence-based process that identifies the function of challenging behaviors in order for educators to develop behavior intervention plans for students with disabilities. All behaviors are under stimulus control and research indicates that behaviors typically serve four functions: tangible, escape, attention, and automatic. However, when individuals with developmental disabilities engage in inappropriate sexual behaviors such as exposing their genitalia in public places or groping a stranger, it is not typical for practitioners to implement this functional behavior assessment process as these sexual behaviors are often viewed as different from non-sexual inappropriate behaviors like screaming in class or throwing school materials. This article presents information of how to complete a comprehensive functional behavior assessment for three students with developmental disabilities who exhibit sexually inappropriate behaviors in school settings to highlight the usefulness of the functional behavior assessment process for developing behavior intervention plans for long lasting behavior change

Reflections and Critical Directions for Toilet Training in Applied Behavior Analysis.

Achieving toileting independence is a critical skill that yields several benefits of pressing social, developmental, and health-related importance. The seminal behavioral approach to toilet training established the conceptualization of continence and framework for toileting research thereafter. Contemporary researchers continue to evaluate toilet training procedures that produce efficacious outcomes for young children that closely align with current applied behavior analysis (ABA) ethics and standards of practice. Despite the overall success of behavior-analytic toileting approaches, there are critical directions still worthy of consideration and investigation. In this paper, we acknowledge the seminal roots and many of the contemporary contributions. We also critically reflect on current practices while proposing necessary areas to advance behavior-analytic toilet training research.

A detailed examination of reporting procedural fidelity in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.

Few reviews on procedural fidelity-the degree to which procedures are implemented as designed-provide details to gauge the quality of fidelity reporting in behavior-analytic research. This review focused on experiments in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (2006-2021) with "integrity" or "fidelity" in the abstract or body. When fidelity data were collected, the coders characterized measurement details (e.g., description of calculation, report of single or multiple values, frequency of fidelity checks, checklist use). The researchers found increasing trends in describing the calculation(s), reporting multiple values, and stating the frequency of measurement. Few studies described using a checklist. Most studies reported fidelity as a percentage, with high obtained values (M = 97%). When not collecting fidelity data was stated as a limitation, authors were unlikely to provide a rationale for the omission. We discuss recommendations for reporting procedural fidelity to increase the quality of and transparency in behavior-analytic research.

Dyslexic Aba: a game to help children with dyslexia

This article presents a game to help professionals in the field of Education and Psychology using the Applied Behavior Analysis methodology in teaching literacy to children with dyslexia. The game is aimed at dyslexic children, aiming to improve learning and the achievement of reading and writing, aiming to challenge the user to form scrambled words with inverted, similar or facing down letters according to a picture shown, such as the word "car”, which for the dyslexic will show “artrph”. together with some inverted or rotated "r", the word size increases as the user changes levels, the game uses a "drag and drop" style, in which the user drags the letter from the shuffled frame and places it in the proper position to form the word. The methodology does not adopt negative stimuli "Game Over" and in parallel works with positive stimuli using sound and visual effects and obtaining points. The application has a functional logical structure that is easy to use, contextualizing different environments of a house, with personalized design, standardized, animated and colorful objects, uniting gameplay, education, teaching and positive stimuli in the literacy process of dyslexic people.

Pediatric and psychiatric models of autism care in Mexico: Differences in diagnostic tools and prescribed interventions.

Low- and middle-income countries face heterogeneity in the way clinicians' approach Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis and treatment. The current study analyzes the diagnostic tools, laboratory tests, pharmacological and psychosocial interventions received by patients during the steps to diagnosis and treatment of two specialized care centers. Researchers interviewed families with a child with ASD receiving services at either a child psychiatric or a pediatric hospital. Of the total sample, 47% reported clinicians not using a diagnostic tool, 20% reported not receiving any psychosocial intervention, and 88% reported receiving a pharmacological prescription. Patients at the pediatric hospital were more likely to receive interventions with some components of Applied Behavioral Analysis, Early Start Denver Model, Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children, and Sensory integration therapy; while patients at the psychiatric hospital were more likely to undergo learning, daily living skills, and socialization therapies. Patients at the psychiatric hospital received significantly more requests to obtain auditory and vision tests whilst genetic testing and imaging were more common in the pediatric hospital. The range and variability in terms of diagnostic tools, laboratory tests, and treatment options observed for both sites reflect a lack of consensus. Recommendations to improve ASD diagnostic and treatment in Mexico are given.

ICT Framework for Supporting Applied Behavior Analysis in the Social Inclusion of Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

The applied behavior analysis (ABA) model emphasizes observable and measurable behaviors by carrying out decision making using experimental data (behavioral observation assessment strategies). In this framework, information and communication technology (ICT) becomes highly suitable for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the methodology. This paper aims to delve into the potential of ICT in providing innovative solutions to support ABA applications. It focuses on how ICT can contribute to fostering social inclusion with respect to children with neurodevelopmental disorders. ICT offers advanced solutions for continuous and context-aware monitoring, as well as automatic real-time behavior assessments. Wireless sensor systems (wearable perceptual, biomedical, motion, location, and environmental sensors) facilitate real-time behavioral monitoring in various contexts, enabling the collection of behavior-related data that may not be readily evident in traditional observational studies. Moreover, the incorporation of artificial intelligence algorithms that are appropriately trained can further assist therapists throughout the different phases of ABA therapy. These algorithms can provide intervention guidelines and deliver an automatic behavioral analysis that is personalized to the child's unique profile. By leveraging the power of ICT, ABA practitioners can benefit from cutting-edge technological advancements to optimize their therapeutic interventions and outcomes for children with neurodevelopmental disorders, ultimately contributing to their social inclusion and overall wellbeing.

Control of Transition Time by the Likely Future as Signalled from the Past in Children with ASD

The signaling perspective offers an alternative to the Skinnerian view of understanding behavior. The signaling effects of reinforcers have predominantly been explored in the laboratory with nonhuman subjects. To test the implications of this view for applied behavior analysis, we contrasted the effect of discriminative stimulus versus reinforcer control in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We aimed to determine whether the duration of their transitions from one reinforcer context to another is controlled by their most recent past or the likely future based on more extended past experience. Reinforcer context (rich, moderate, or lean) was signaled in the first condition. We observed that transition times to the leaner reinforcer were longer than those to the richer. The reinforcer context was unsignaled in the second condition. The differences between transition times disappeared in the second condition. The difference in durations of transitions to signaled and unsignaled reinforcer densities suggests that behavior is primarily controlled by signals of likely future reinforcers as extrapolated from extended past experience rather than strengthened by the most recent event.

Unreported author affiliation conflicts of interest in applied behavior analysis research: A real or imagined problem?

Unreported author affiliation conflicts of interest in applied behavior analysis research: A real or imagined problem?

Mirror, Mirror, in My Mind: An Ethological Approach to Shaping Student Behavior

This paper introduces an ethology for understanding student behavior and creating interventions to shape positive social, emotional, and academic performance. Rooted in the principles of applied behavior analysis and learning theories, the author suggests a proactive perspective to observing and shaping student behaviors in a post-pandemic era and provides one tool for flipping and reframing a student’s mindset to promote constructive thinking and positive social behaviors.

Effectiveness of Ear Acupuncture Therapy and Behavioral Therapy in Children with ADHD

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is one of the neurodevelopmental disorder. ADHD characterized by signs and symptoms such as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsive. The purpose of this research was to determine the effectiveness of ear acupuncture therapy and behavioral therapy in children with ADHD. This research used Quasy Experimental Design with pretest and posttest design. This research was conducted in February-April 2023 at SLB Autis Alamanda and SLB Harmony Surakarta. The sample is children with ADHD who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The sample was divided into two groups, 15 children each group. Ear acupuncture therapy using earseeds at point zero, shenmen point, and liver point. Behavioral therapy using ABA method (Applied Behavioral Analysis). Data were analyzed using Independent Sample T-test. The result of this test showed that significance value is 0.849 (p > 0.05). The conclusion of this research is ear acupuncture therapy and behavioral therapy were not effective to decrease ADHD behavior in children at SLB Autis Alamanda and SLB Harmony Surakarta.