Systematic Review of Safety Skill Interventions for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

We conducted a descriptive analysis of single-case research design (SCRD) studies on safety skills instruction (SSI) for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Once we identified studies through electronic databases and reference lists, we used What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Standards to evaluate each study. We analyzed studies in terms of various descriptive variables, calculated effect sizes through improvement rate difference (IRD), and aggregated effect sizes across studies to produce an omnibus effect size. Results showed 18 of 29 studies met the WWC Standards to meet design standards (MS) and meet design standards with reservations (MS-R), and various types of SSI were effective in teaching various skills. Of 18, 12 studies resulted in a large effect, and we found a behavioral skills training package (BST) to be evidence-based when we applied a 5-3-20 rule. Implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed.

Extents of abuse and behavioural disorders in autistic children who were abused and who were not abused

“…The scale consisted in its final form 80 statements divided into four domains: the first domain (20 statements), the second domain (20 statement), the third domain (20 statement) and the fourth domain (20 statement), which were answered by choosing one of five responses (highly agree -agreesomewhat agree -not sure -disagree) and the evaluation was carried out with the following grades 5-1, respectively (Tekin-Iftar et al, 2020;Brenner et al, 2018).…”

Turkish Parents, Teachers, and Faculty Members Opinions and Experiences on Safety Skills Instruction for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…Existing SS studies have focused on teaching children with ASD to seek help when lost (e.g., Bergstrom et al, 2012;Taylor, Hughes, Richard, Hoch, & Coello, 2004), use mobile phones to obtain assistance when lost (e.g., Hoch, Taylor, & Rodriguez, 2009), respond to the lures of strangers (e.g., Akmanoglu & Tekin-Iftar, 2011;Bergstrom, Najdowski, & Tarbox, 2014;Gunby, Carr, & LeBlanc, 2010;Gunby & Rapp, 2014), use safe pedestrian skills (e.g., Harriage, Blair, & Miltenberger, 2016), apply first-aid skills following home accidents (e.g., Ergenekon, 2012), acquire general and body SS (e.g., Kenny, Bennett, Dougery, & Steele, 2013), and use household SS (e.g., Degirmenci & Tekin-Iftar, 2019;Summers et al, 2011). Relatively recent two meta-analysis studies identified SS interventions that have demonstrated promising evidence for use with individuals with ASD based on single-case research studies (Tekin-Iftar, Olcay-Gul, Sirin, Bilmez, Degirmenci, & Collins, 2021;Wiseman, McArdell, Bottini, & Gillis, 2017). Both studies concluded that more research is needed.…”