Group Design Studies Research Articles

Effects of Physical Exercise Interventions on Stereotyped Motor Behaviours in Children with ASD: A Meta-Analysis.

Studies have reported that physical exercise reduces maladaptive stereotyped motor behaviours (SMB) in children with ASD, but these intervention studies vary in design and outcome. The present systematic review and meta-analysis included 22 studies, involving 274 children with ASD, to quantify the effect of exercise on SMB and its potential moderators. Multi-level modelling revealed a large overall effect, Hedges' g = 1.16, with significant heterogeneity across participant, treatment, and study levels. Further, a more appropriate model using between-case estimation for within-subject effects to improve comparability between single-case and group-design studies, yielded a smaller but still significant effect, g = 0.51. Lastly, higher exercise intensity, but not age, exercise duration or settings, reliably predicted treatment effectiveness. Implications for clinical practice and research are discussed.

A Systematic Review of General Educator Behavior Management Training

The purpose of this review was to systematically analyze the literature on behavior management training for general educators (Pre–K-12). We identified 74 articles in which general educators were trained to implement a behavior management strategy. General educators were most commonly trained to implement behavior-specific praise ( n = 12), Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams ( n = 8), or a multi-component intervention package (i.e., a student-level intervention that included a number of strategies; n = 21). The two most common training components were initial training provided in a one-on-one format ( n = 30) and the inclusion of ongoing coaching ( n = 29). Thirty-nine articles included measures of practitioner fidelity or discrete behaviors (e.g., behavior-specific praise) within the context of an experimental design. We evaluated methodological rigor and evidence of effectiveness of these 39 articles using What Works Clearinghouse standards. Eleven articles included group design studies, nine (81.82%) of which met standards with or without reservations, and four designs had promising evidence of effectiveness. Twenty-eight articles included a total of 49 single-case research designs, of which 27 designs (55.10%) met standards with or without reservations, and 23 designs provided moderate to strong evidence of effectiveness. Directions for future research and implications for the field are provided.

Effects of telehealth-mediated behavioral assessments and interventions on client outcomes: A quality review.

The purpose of this review was to evaluate the quality of research focused on the effects of telehealth-mediated behavior-analytic assessments and interventions on client outcomes. The majority of studies utilized a single-case methodology (n = 44; 81%), while 10 studies (19%) used a group design. Of the 246 single-case designs, 99 (40%) met design standards with or without reservation. For the 10 group design studies, 7 (70%) met the design standards. When evaluating the evidence offered according to the prime independent variable (e.g., behavior assessment, intervention designed for behavior reduction, and intervention designed to establish or strengthen behavior), the literature supports the use of telehealth to conduct behavior assessments and provide interventions designed to establish or strengthen behavior. Additional research is necessary to establish the use of telehealth to conduct interventions designed for behavior reduction. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Parent-Mediated Interventions for School-Age Children With ASD: A Meta-Analysis

Parent-mediated interventions (PMIs) are commonly used with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and their effectiveness for young children has been documented. However, no reviews have examined the use of PMIs with older children with ASD. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to investigate the state of the literature regarding PMIs for school-age children with ASD and to evaluate their effectiveness across domains. Eighteen studies of PMIs examining 170 child participants with ASD were included. Participants, interventions, and the effects of the interventions are described. Overall, studies demonstrated moderately positive effects for PMIs for school-age children with ASD. Group design studies demonstrated an overall effect size (ES) of 0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [0.50, 1.09], while single-case design (SCD) studies yielded an overall ES of 1.84, 95% CI = [1.08, 2.60]. More research is needed to understand the differential effectiveness of parent training components, and future research should focus on including measures of parent treatment integrity, to aid in the understanding of program efficacy.

Check-in/Check-out Implementation in Schools: a Meta-Analysis of Group Design Studies

This meta-analysis study synthesized the intervention effects of Check-in/Check-out (CICO), the most common Tier 2 behavior intervention used in schools. Systematic review procedures were employed to examine six CICO studies that were evaluated using a group research design and that involved 146 students. Studies were coded to examine their characteristics as well as quality indicators concerning their design features. The results indicated that in group design studies, the overall effect size of CICO across student outcomes (problem behavior, appropriate behavior, social skills, and academic performance) was medium (g = 0.42). No differences in effects were found for outcome domains, Tier 1 fidelity, and implementation fidelity, but grade level was associated with statistically significant differences in effect sizes (Q = 3.95, p < .05). Elementary school students (g = 0.70) showed greater improvements than middle school students (g = 0.27). Further research is needed to examine the intervention features impacting the effects of CICO.

Treatment Burst Data Points and Single Case Design Studies: A Bayesian N-of-1 Analysis for Estimating Treatment Effect Size.

Single-case experimental designs (SCED) evaluate treatment effects for each participant, but it is difficult to aggregate and quantify treatment effects across SCED participants receiving the same type of treatment. We applied Bayesian analytic procedures to SCED data aggregated across participants that have previously only been applied to large-N and group design studies of treatment effect sizes. For the current study, we defined transient elevated treatment data points as (1) above the range of the last five baseline sessions during the first three sessions of treatment (i.e., extinction burst); (2) within or above the range of baseline after the first three treatment sessions (i.e., recurrence burst); or (3) thinning phase data points above the last three prethinning treatment data points (i.e., thinning burst). Results indicated that the treatment effect sizes remained large regardless of controlling for transient elevated treatment data points. Finally, we examined the effects of reinforcer schedule thinning on estimates of treatment effect size. Results indicated a moderate negative impact of schedule thinning on treatment effect size with a 16% decrease in effect size. Recommendations for research and practice are provided, and the utility of using Bayesian analysis in single-case experimental designs is discussed.

Multitiered Systems of Support in Preschool Settings: A Review and Meta-Analysis of Single-Case Research

Multitiered systems of support provide a framework for matching the needs of a struggling student with an appropriate intervention. Experimental evaluations of tiered support systems in grade schools have been conducted for decades but have been less frequently examined in early childhood contexts. A recent meta-analysis of multitiered systems of support in preschool settings exclusively synthesized outcomes from group design studies. Our current review extends this review by synthesizing single-case research examining interventions implemented within tiered support system frameworks in preschool settings. Our data indicate that single-case evaluations of tiered support systems do not frequently meet contemporary standards for rigor or consistently identify functional relations. Recommendations and considerations for future research are discussed.

Augmented Reality and Functional Skills Acquisition Among Individuals With Special Needs: A Meta-Analysis of Group Design Studies

Augmented reality (AR) has the potential to support individuals with special needs and to enable their development of daily living skills. This meta-analysis study examined the effect of AR on functional skills acquisition across individuals affected by different disabilities. Group design studies based on a random-effects model alongside the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines were used in this study. A total of 119 individuals with different types of disabilities (including intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Down syndrome, hearing disability, and visual disability) were obtained from seven studies. The overall effect size of AR across the seven studies was significant. The results showed that AR can be effective and helpful for individuals with disabilities to help them make daily decisions and guide their actions in society. The implications for practice and research as well as the possible areas that require further investigation are discussed.

Teaching Object Play to Young Children With Disabilities: A Systematic Review of Methods and Rigor.

In this systematic review, we examined the rigor and outcomes across 27 object play intervention studies using single-case research methodology. We focused on studies including children age 5 years or younger and examined several descriptive characteristics including materials, instructional packages, and settings. We also analyzed the facilitation and measurement of generalized play and several methodological features including quality, rigor, and visual analysis procedures. Overall, the identified studies demonstrated positive outcomes, although quality and rigor limited interpretations of the outcomes. Previous reviews also have noted strong outcomes and weak to moderate quality for single-case studies. Our results should be interpreted with caution given previous reviews of play intervention studies identified strong outcomes and quality from group-design studies. Additional replications testing robust interventions using single-case research with strong methodological rigor are warranted.

Project AIM: Autism intervention meta-analysis for studies of young children.

In this comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of group design studies of nonpharmacological early interventions designed for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we report summary effects across 7 early intervention types (behavioral, developmental, naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention [NDBI], TEACCH, sensory-based, animal-assisted, and technology-based), and 15 outcome categories indexing core and related ASD symptoms. A total of 1,615 effect sizes were gathered from 130 independent participant samples. A total of 6,240 participants, who ranged in age from 0-8 years, are represented across the studies. We synthesized effects within intervention and outcome type using a robust variance estimation approach to account for the nesting of effect sizes within studies. We also tracked study quality indicators, and report an additional set of summary effect sizes that restrict included studies to those meeting prespecified quality indicators. Finally, we conducted moderator analyses to evaluate whether summary effects across intervention types were larger for proximal as compared with distal effects, and for context-bound as compared to generalized effects. We found that when study quality indicators were not taken into account, significant positive effects were found for behavioral, developmental, and NDBI intervention types. When effect size estimation was limited to studies with randomized controlled trial (RCT) designs, evidence of positive summary effects existed only for developmental and NDBI intervention types. This was also the case when outcomes measured by parent report were excluded. Finally, when effect estimation was limited to RCT designs and to outcomes for which there was no risk of detection bias, no intervention types showed significant effects on any outcome. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

A Systematic and Quality Review of Parent-Implemented Language and Communication Interventions Conducted via Telepractice

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature researching telepractice and parent-implemented language and communication interventions. A total of 12 studies met inclusion criteria and comprise the final study sample. A majority of the included articles were single-case research studies, and two were randomized controlled trials. We analyzed participant characteristics, intervention types, outcomes, and research quality in all 12 studies. All telepractice-based parent-implemented interventions reported improvements in parent and/or child outcomes. We evaluated the rigor of the studies against single-case research and group design quality indicators as well as What Works Clearinghouse standards. Of the 10 single-case research studies, one met single-case research design standards and six met standards with reservations, and of the two group design studies, only one met all quality indicators and standards. Results are discussed and future directions are provided.

Naturalistic Interventions to Improve Prelinguistic Communication for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Systematic Review

The current review identified 11 single-case design (SCD) and 14 group-design evaluations of naturalistic behavioral interventions targeting prelinguistic social communication in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Three SCD studies and eight group design studies utilized methodologically rigorous designs and demonstrated a functional relation between the intervention and child prelinguistic social communication. Results of this systematic review provide information about efficacy of specific naturalistic behavioral interventions, details about the intervention, and characteristics of the implementation agent and setting. Such information may be useful to support implementation of evidence-based practices and increase the quality of future research.

Effects of Caregiver-Focused Programs on Psychosocial Outcomes in Caregivers of Individuals with ASD: A Meta-analysis.

The current meta-analysis comprehensively reviewed group-design studies of interventions designed to improve ASD caregiver psychosocial outcomes and explored potential moderators of effectiveness. Forty-one unique studies targeting 1771 caregivers met inclusion criteria. Overall, the interventions had a small positive effect in improving psychosocial outcomes in caregivers of individuals with ASD (within-subjects: Hedges' g = .44; between-subjects: Hedges' g = .28). Most intervention approaches demonstrated some evidence of effectiveness. Acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness-based interventions, and cognitive behavioral treatments demonstrated the strongest impact in improving caregiver psychosocial outcomes in pre-post comparisons. Although the results provide preliminary support for the effectiveness of caregiver-focused interventions, more studies with larger sample sizes, rigorous research designs, and long-term follow-up assessments are needed.

A Synthesis of Reading Comprehension Interventions for Persons With Mild Intellectual Disability

The inclusion of individuals with intellectual disability (ID) in typical settings is increasing. To promote success in these settings, educators must support the reading comprehension of individuals with ID. Therefore, we conducted a synthesis of the extant research on reading comprehension interventions for individuals in the largest category of ID—mild ID—in Grades 4 through 12 and postsecondary programs. We review the methodological and intervention features of eight group-design studies and six single-case design studies published between January 2001 and December 2018. Findings from the 14 studies revealed inconsistent effects of single-component and multicomponent interventions on expository and narrative reading comprehension. However, medium to large positive effects were typically found from interventions using peer-mediated instruction and explicit strategy instruction. More rigorous research investigating the effects of reading comprehension interventions for individuals with mild ID using standardized measures is warranted. Practical implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Interventions Targeting Expressive Communication in Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review.

Purpose The aims of this systematic review are to (a) synthesize the literature on interventions targeting expressive communication in adults with autism spectrum disorder and (b) evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions. Method The literature search resulted in 7,196 articles. The research team used 2 reviewers and consensus for title/abstract review, full-text review, and quality review. To be included, studies had to (a) include at least 1 adult (18 years of age and above) with an autism spectrum disorder; (b) examine an intervention, treatment, or model of care; (c) provide outcome data related to expressive communication modalities/domains; (d) be experimental or quasi-experimental; and (e) be published in English. Twenty-two studies (14 single-case design and 8 group design), with a total of 256 participants and varied interventions and outcome variables, met criteria for inclusion. Effect sizes are presented for group design studies, and visual analysis results are outlined for single-case design studies. Results Examination of treatment effects in the included studies showed positive effects, overall; however, there was great variability between studies. Single-case design studies showed evidence of functional relations in all but 1 study, with most showing medium to large effects, as well as maintenance and generalization of gains. Group design studies showed a wide range of effects from near-zero to large effects. Differences in intervention strategies and durations, as well as in participant characteristics and outcome measures, presented barriers to aggregation. Conclusions This review highlights the need for increased high-quality research examining interventions targeting expressive communication in adults with autism spectrum disorder and also pinpoints interventions with potential for future study and use in this population.

Meta-analysis of naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions for young children with autism spectrum disorder.

Naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention is an emerging class of interventions for young children with autism spectrum disorder. The present article is a meta-analysis of outcomes of group-design studies (n = 27) testing interventions using naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention strategies. Small, significant positive effects of naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention were found for expressive language (g = 0.32), reduction in symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (g = -0.38), and play skills (g = 0.23). Larger effects were found for social engagement (g = 0.65) and overall cognitive development (g = 0.48). A marginal effect was found for joint attention (g = 0.14) and receptive language (g = 0.28). For joint attention, improvement was moderated by hours of professional involvement. Evidence of publication and reporting bias was present for language outcomes. This meta-analysis grows the evidence base for naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions, particularly in the key areas of social engagement and cognition.

Schema-Based Instruction for Mathematical Word Problem Solving: An Evidence-Based Review for Students With Learning Disabilities

The purpose of this review is to determine the evidence base classification of schema-based instruction (SBI) as an intervention to improve word problem-solving outcomes in mathematics for students with learning or mathematics disabilities in Grades K–12. Using the Council for Exceptional Children’s quality indicators (QIs) and standards, we reviewed both single-case and group design studies to classify the evidence of SBI. Results of this review indicate that SBI is a potentially evidence-based practice (EBP) for students with learning disabilities. Implications and directions for research and practice are presented.

A Meta-Analysis of Family-School Interventions and Children’s Social-Emotional Functioning: Moderators and Components of Efficacy

This meta-analysis examined the effects of family-school interventions on children’s social-behavioral competence and mental health. One hundred and seventeen group design studies yielding 592 effect sizes constituted the current sample. Random effects models were estimated when calculating each pooled effect size estimate, and mixed effects models were calculated for each moderator analysis. The analyses yielded significant effects of family-school interventions on children’s social-behavioral competence and mental health ([Formula: see text]s = 0.332 and 0.391, respectively). Effects on children’s mental health were moderated by race/ethnicity (effects were larger for African American students) and locale (effects were smaller in urban settings relative to nonurban/rural settings). Components found to be significantly related to positive outcomes included both interpersonal, relational processes (i.e., communication, collaboration, and parent-teacher relationship) and tangible, structural elements (i.e., home-based involvement, behavioral supports). These findings indicate the benefits of family-school interventions and have implications for tailoring interventions to family characteristics and communities.

The use of touch devices for enhancing academic achievement: A meta‐analysis

AbstractTouch devices such as tablets and smartphones are widely adopted in educational settings and have many desirable features. However, research supporting the use of touch devices to improve academic achievement is emergent and has not been evaluated through a meta‐analysis. We conducted a meta‐analysis of 65 group and single case design research studies, published 2010–2018, to evaluate the effects of touch device implementation on academic achievement. The overall mean effect sizes were moderate for group design and single case design studies. Participant, intervention, and study attributes were also evaluated to describe the research and how these attributes may moderate the results. Overall, results suggest that touch devices may be an effective tool for enhancing academic achievement. The need to conduct additional, rigorous research on the use of touch devices as well as implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed.

Revisiting Our Research Assumptions 20 Years On: The Role of Interdisciplinarity.

The purpose of this documentary analysis was to examine trends in research published in Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly (APAQ) over a 10-yr span. A total of 181 research articles published from 2004 to 2013 were coded and analyzed using the following categories: first-author country affiliation, theoretical framework, intervention, research methods, disability categories, and topical focus. Results indicate high frequencies of nonintervention and group-design studies, as well as a low frequency of studies that describe a theoretical or conceptual framework. Trends in disability of participants and topical focus reflect current interests of researchers publishing in APAQ. While some scholars have suggested that changes in research on adapted physical activity would occur, the results of this analysis suggest that many of these categories remain largely unchanged for research published in APAQ. This study calls attention to similarities between the results of the current analysis and previous ones