Treating Target Behaviors of Autistic Individuals With Applied Behavior Analysis: An Ongoing Replication Study

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confidence: 99%

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“…There were seven (6.8%) missing values. Four subjects were over 17 years old, e.g., 18 years old, 20 years old, 26 years old, and 73 years old [25].…”

Section: Sample Demographicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An Internal Consistency Reliability Study of the Catalyst Datafinch Applied Behavior Analysis Data Collection Application With Autistic Individuals

Peterson,

Dodson,

Sherwin

et al. 2024

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The Effects of Applied Behavior Analysis on Verbal Behavior With Autistic Individuals Using the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VBMAPP) and the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS)

Peterson,

Dodson,

Hosey

et al. 2024

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IntroductionApplied behavior analysis (ABA) is a fundamental practice-based intervention for treating autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Few studies have directly measured and evaluated the effects of ABA on verbal behaviors, mainly using the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VBMAPP) and the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS) as outcome measures. This study aims to fill this gap by examining the relationship between ABA interventions and the enhancement of verbal skills, as measured by the VBMAPP and the ABLLS, in a convenience sample of individuals with ASD. Materials and methodsAt The Oxford Centers (TOCs) in Brighton and Troy, Michigan, USA, 33 individuals with autism received treatment from January 2018 to July 2021, spanning 43 months. A pretest-posttest design was employed to retrospectively examine any impacts between ABA interventions and alterations in verbal scores among individuals with ASD. Depending on developmental age, all subjects underwent two verbal assessments with a six-month interval in-between. Twelve children were administered the VBMAPP, while 21 were given the ABLLS. ResultsPaired t-tests for pretest and posttest VBMAPP subscales resulted in statistically significant effects (p<0.05) for (VBMAPP -Mand), (VBMAPP -Tact), (VBMAPP -Listener Responding), (VBMAPP -Visual Perceptual Skills and Matching-to-Sample), (VBMAPP -Independent Play), (VBMAPP -Social Play), (VBMAPP -Motor Imitation), (VBMAPP -Spontaneous Vocalization), (VBMAPP -Intraverbal), (VBMAPP -Group Behavior), and (VBMAPP -Linguistic Structure). As measured by Cohen's d, effect sizes were moderate to mostly high (-0.623 to -1.688). There were non-significant results (p>0.05) for (VBMAPP -Listener Responding by Feature, Function, and Class) and (VBMAPP -Echoic).Paired t-tests for pretest and posttest ABLLS subscales resulted in statistically significant effects (p<.05) for all ABLLS scales: (ABLLS -Receptive Language), (ABLLS -Requests), (ABLLS -Labeling), (ABLLS -Intraverbals), (ABLLS -Spontaneous Vocalizations), (ABLLS -Syntax Grammar), (ABLLS -Social Interactions), and (ABLLS -Generalized Responding). As measured by Cohen's d, effect sizes were moderate to mostly high (-0.656 to -1.372). ConclusionsThe administration of ABA treatments had a noteworthy influence, with statistically significant impacts on improving verbal behaviors on 11 of the 13 VBMAPP scales and all of the ABLLS scales. As measured by Cohen's d, effect sizes were moderate to high for both scales. These findings underscore the importance and effectiveness of ABA interventions in enhancing verbal skills in children with ASD. However, it's crucial to note that further confirmatory studies are required to verify the reliability of these original findings, emphasizing the ongoing need for research in this field.

A Non-parametric Analysis of Gender Differences With the Impacts of Applied Behavior Analysis on Autistic Individuals

Peterson,

Dodson,

Sherwin

et al. 2024

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IntroductionConsidering the scarcity of research that directly investigates the differences between genders in their response to applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the objective of this study is twofold. First, it aims to reinforce the male-to-female ratio reported in existing scientific literature, thereby contributing to a broader understanding of gender distribution in ABA therapy for ASD. Second, it seeks to identify gender-based differences in aggregate target behaviors at various time intervals using three distinct datasets. The goal is to determine if gender influences the effectiveness of ABA therapy for ASD, which could inform future therapeutic strategies. Ultimately, this study strives to enhance our understanding of gender disparities in ABA therapy response among ASD individuals and hopes to improve therapeutic outcomes for all, regardless of gender. Materials and methodsThree to five behavioral technicians per child collected daily general target mastery data for 263 individuals with autism. This data was gathered using a large N design through retrospective chart reviews within the "Catalyst" tracking software (DataFinch Technologies, Atlanta, USA). Three separate datasets were collected from June 7, 2023 to January 7, 2024. Behavior analysts employed a mixed model of discrete trial training, mass trials, and naturalistic environment treatment over seven months. General target mastery data was assembled for 259 children and four adults, with seven data instances missing. Descriptive statistics encompassed central tendency and dispersion measures, including the data distribution's mean, standard deviation, median, and range. Non-parametric inferential analysis was performed with the Mann-Whitney U test. ResultsMann-Whitney U computations resulted in non-significant gender differences on all gender comparisons for the three datasets covering the seven-month timeframe.