Evaluating the Efficacy of the PEAK Relational Training System Using a Randomized Controlled Trial of Children with Autism

Abstract

The present investigation sought to examine the efficacy of the instructional curriculum described in the Direct Training Module of the PEAK Relational Training System on the language repertoires, as measured by the PEAK direct assessment, of children diagnosed with autism or related developmental disabilities. Twenty-seven children diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorders were evaluated using the PEAK direct training assessment protocol prior to assignment to control and experimental groups. Participants in the experimental group received additional language instruction derived from the curriculum programs of the Direct Training Module, while participants in the control group received treatment as usual. Both groups were then re-assessed using the PEAK direct assessment after 1 month. A repeated measures ANOVA indicated that participants in the experimental group made significantly more gains in language skills than those who were assigned to the control group, F(1, 22) = 9.684, p = .005. Implications for evidence-based practice and future research are discussed.

Student outcomes after 1 year of front line staff implementation of the PEAK curriculum

“…The PEAK group demonstrated greater increases both in PDA total scores and change scores relative to a quasi‐experimental control group. The results further extend upon the study conducted by McKeel et al () and the study conducted by Belisle et al () by demonstrating that significant skill acquisition can occur when procedures are conducted by frontline staff rather than trained graduate students. This finding supports the generalizability of the PEAK‐DT curriculum in human service settings where practitioners with specialized training in ABA may be scarce.…”

“…This limitation certainly reduces the internal validity of this study but also provides greater external validity by allowing for the idiosyncratic nature of the classroom environment to influence the data. Despite looser controls imposed upon the implementers relative to the study conducted by McKeel et al (), the participants in the PEAK group demonstrated significantly greater skill acquisition on the PDA relative to the control group. A fourth limitation was that the PDA was used as the assessment of skill acquisition, and so further research is needed to evaluate the effect of PEAK instruction on the acquisition of other untrained skills.…”

“…Again, this gain in internal validity may have come at the expense of external validity as reordering classrooms based on randomization, or conducting training with some students in the classroom and not others, would have the potential to add to the contrived nature of the study. As the purpose of this study was to expand on the results obtained by McKeel et al (2015), a study with considerably greater internal validity, a greater emphasis was placed on ensuring externally valid results. Corresponding to this first limitation, although similarities in participant pretest scores suggest that the participants were similar at the onset of the study, greater confidence could be ascertained by conducting additional assessments (e.g., IQ and school readiness).…”

Promoting the emergence of advanced knowledge: A review of peak relational training system: Direct training module by Mark R. Dixon

“…As the first intervention‐outcome evaluation of the PEAK‐DTM, McKeel, Dixon, Daar, Rowsey, and Szekely () included 27 students with autism and other developmental disabilities in a 1‐month, randomized experimental‐control group design. The control group participants ( n = 13) received treatment as usual through special education services at their schools.…”

Utilizing PEAK Relational Training System to Teach Visual, Gustatory, and Auditory Relations to Adults with Developmental Disabilities

“…Results showed that the higher the PEAK assessment score, the higher the IQ of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Research and data has also suggested that PEAK may be especially useful as an assessment and curriculum guide for individuals with autism (Dixon, Belisle, Whiting, & Rowsey, 2014;McKeel, Dixon, Daar, Rowsey, & Szekely, 2015;Rowsey, Belisle, & Dixon, 2015). Current studies are beginning to address the validity of PEAK-E.…”