What is evidence-based behavior analysis?

Abstract

Although applied behavior analysts often say they engage in evidence-based practice, they express differing views on what constitutes "evidence" and "practice." This article describes a practice as a service offered by a provider to help solve a problem presented by a consumer. Solving most problems (e.g., increasing or decreasing a behavior and maintaining this change) requires multiple intervention procedures (i.e., a package). Single-subject studies are invaluable in investigating individual procedures, but researchers still need to integrate the procedures into a package. The package must be standardized enough for independent providers to replicate yet flexible enough to allow individualization; intervention manuals are the primary technology for achieving this balance. To test whether the package is effective in solving consumers' problems, researchers must evaluate outcomes of the package as a whole, usually in group studies such as randomized controlled trials. From this perspective, establishing an evidence-based practice involves more than analyzing the effects of discrete intervention procedures on behavior; it requires synthesizing information so as to offer thorough solutions to problems. Recognizing the need for synthesis offers behavior analysts many promising opportunities to build on their existing research to increase the quality and quantity of evidence-based practices.

Autism and ABA: The Gulf Between North America and Europe

“…Certainly, it makes sense to assess treatment packages that make claims as to their effectiveness (Smith 2013), but it is disingenuous to obfuscate the distinction between treatment packages and the science from which these packages have been developed.…”

Pivotal response treatment for autism spectrum disorder: current perspectives

“…Pivotal response treatment (PRT) is a behavioral intervention aimed to improve social communication skills in individuals with ASD,10,11,16,17 which has accumulated a large evidence base with positive findings being replicated using a wide range of experimental designs across multiple settings 17. Based on ABA principles, PRT adopts a more naturalistic approach that focuses on targeting skills that are pivotal to development across social, communication, and behavior 11,18.…”

Evidence-Based Practice: Inclusive Education for the Effective Implementation for Children With Autism

“…It is based solidly on applied behavioural analysis intervention practices as well as practices emerging from other applied research, and the procedures have been -manualized‖ (Smith, T. (2013). Twenty-seven practices met the standards for being evidence-based.…”