Outcomes of a Behavioral Education Model for Children With Autism in a Mainstream School Setting

Abstract

The authors report 1-year outcomes for 11 children (3-7 years) with autism who attended an "Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) classroom" educational intervention in a mainstream school setting. The children learned new skills by the end of 1 year and learned additional skills during a 2nd year. Group analysis of standardized test outcomes (IQ and adaptive behavior) showed moderate to large effect size changes over 1 year, with further changes during a 2nd year. Standardized test outcomes for nine children after 2 years were also analyzed against a comparison group (n = 18) of children with autism receiving "education as usual." These controlled comparisons were associated with statistically significant large effects in favor of the ABA group for adaptive skills. Exploratory analysis also showed that increases in language and learning skills in the ABA class group were generally associated with positive changes in standardized test scores. A comprehensive behavioral intervention model can be successfully implemented in a mainstream school setting.

Coping as a predictor of burnout and general health in therapists working in ABA schools

“…A developing literature has suggested positive results from these schoolbased models in the UK and Ireland (e.g. Grindle et al 2009Grindle et al , 2012McGarrell et al 2009;Waddington and Reed 2009), although ABA school-based services are relatively unexplored in the literature. Little is known about how, or if, ABA school-based services differ in structure from typical special education schools.…”

Multi-Approach Intervention in Enhancing Adaptive Behavior of ASD: A within-subject Experimental Design

“…However, it may be extended to family members provided they receive appropriate training to properly facilitate the needs of individuals diagnosed with ASD. Research studies affirm the importance of parent-child relationship in the whole process of intervention [71][72][73][74].…”

The Most Commonly Reported Behavior Analytic Methods in Early Intensive Autism Treatments

“…This phenomenon shows a level of academic discipline that has rarely occurred in the treatment literature. All the studies reviewed employ standard ABA methods such as discrete trial training, modeling, prompting, social and edible reinforcers, fading, and shaping (Bibby et al 2002;Cohen et al 2006;Eikeseth et al 2007;Eikeseth et al 2012;Eldevik et al 2006;Eldevik et al 2012;Fava et al 2011;Fernell et al 2011;Flanagan et al 2012;Green et al 2002;Grindle et al 2012;Hayward et al 2009a, b;Howard et al 2005;Lovaas 1987;McGarrell et al 2009;Perry et al 2008;Remington et al 2007;Sallows and Graupner 2005;Sheinkopf and Sigel 1998;Smith et al 2000b;Zachor and Itzchak 2010). Early studies also used punishments such as shouting at the child and contingent thigh slaps.…”

“…Of the studies reviewed, home (Remington et al 2007;Sheinkopf and Siegel 1998), school (Eikeseth et al 2007;Eikeseth et al 2012;Eldevik et al 2006;Eldevik et al 2012;Grindle et al 2012;McGarrell et al 2009), community (Flanagan et al 2012;Lovaas 1987;Smith et al 2000b), or combination of multiple environments (Cohen et al 2006;Fava et al 2011;Fernell et al 2011;Green et al 2002;Hayward et al 2009a, b;Howard et al 2005;Perry et al 2008;Sallows and Graupner 2005) were the most common. The research clearly shows that keeping intervention as normalized as possible promotes generalization and overall efficacy.…”