scholarly journals Coaching via Telehealth: Caregiver-Mediated Interventions for Young Children on the Waitlist for an Autism Diagnosis Using Single-Case Design

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1654
Author(s):  
Megan G. Kunze ◽  
Wendy Machalicek ◽  
Qi Wei ◽  
Stephanie St. Joseph
Keyword(s):  
Early Intervention ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Differential Reinforcement ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
Single Case ◽  
The United States ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Baseline Design

Years can elapse between parental suspicion of a developmental delay and a diagnostic assessment, ultimately delaying access to medically necessary, autism-specific intervention. Using a single-case, concurrent multiple baseline design, autism spectrum disorder symptomology (i.e., higher-order restrictive and repetitive behaviors and interests; higher-order RRBIs) was targeted in toddlers (21–35 months) waiting for a diagnostic appointment. Caregivers were coached via telehealth to mediate early intervention to decrease interfering, inflexible higher-order RRBIs during play using four evidence-based applied behavior analytic strategies: modeling, prompting, differential reinforcement of appropriate behaviors, and response interruption and redirection. Six mother–child dyads were recruited from pediatrician offices and early intervention service districts in the United States. All families were considered under-served, under-resourced, or living in rural locations. A visual analysis of the data combined with Tau-U revealed a strong basic effect between the intervention package and parent strategy use and child flexible and inflexible behavior. Findings were consistent across participants with one exception demonstrating a moderate effect for flexible behaviors yet a strong effect for inflexible behaviors. Standardized mean difference was beyond zero for all participants. Implications for science and practice include support for early intervention of higher-order RRBIs for young children with and at risk for ASD.

Using Peer Coaches as Community-Based Competency Drivers in Part C Early Intervention

2021 ◽  
pp. 027112142110075
Author(s):  
Mollie Romano ◽  
Melissa Schnurr ◽  
Erin Elizabeth Barton ◽  
Juliann Woods ◽  
Cindy Weigel
Keyword(s):  
Early Intervention ◽  
Implementation Science ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Functional Relation ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Baseline Design ◽  
C Programs ◽  
Part C ◽  
The Impact

Using an implementation science framework, this study examines the impact of a multicomponent professional development (PD) approach implemented by internal peer coaches on early intervention providers’ use of Family Guided Routines-Based Intervention. The experimental study used a single-case multiple baseline design across participants, replicated in three sites with early interventionist (EI) providers ( n = 9) and families with infants and toddlers ( n = 18) in community-based Part C programs. Data indicate a functional relation between the multicomponent PD approach and EIs’ use of the intervention. A between-case standardized mean difference effect size was used to confirm the results of the visual analysis. The implications for the use of implementation science frameworks to build competency drivers within early intervention systems are discussed.

scholarly journals Longitudinal change in restricted and repetitive behaviors from 8-36 months

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Sifre ◽  
Daniel Berry ◽  
Jason J. Wolff ◽  
Jed T. Elison
Keyword(s):  
Measurement Invariance ◽  
Factor Score ◽  
Developmental Change ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Restricted And Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Repetitive Motor ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Background Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are core features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and one of the earliest behavioral signs of ASD. However, RRBs are also present in typically developing (TD) infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children. Past work suggests that examining change in these behaviors over time is essential to distinguish between normative manifestations of these behaviors and behaviors that denote risk for a neurodevelopmental disorder. One challenge in examining changes in these behaviors over time is that most measures of RRBs have not established longitudinal measurement invariance. The aims of this study were to (1) establish measurement invariance in the Repetitive Behavior Scales for Early Childhood (RBS-EC), a parent-report questionnaire of RRBs, and (2) model developmental change in RRBs from 8 to 36 months. Methods We collected RBS-EC responses from parents of TD infants (n = 180) from 8 to 36 months (n = 606 responses, with participants contributing an average of 3-time points). We leverage a novel methodological approach to measurement invariance testing (Bauer, Psychological Models, 22(3), 507–526, 2017), moderated nonlinear factor analysis (MNLFA), to determine whether the RBS-EC was invariant across age and sex. We then generated adjusted factor score estimates for each subscale of the RBS-EC (repetitive motor, self-directed, and higher-order behaviors), and used linear mixed effects models to estimate between- and within-person changes in the RBS-EC over time. Results The RBS-EC showed some non-invariance as a function of age. We were able to adjust for this non-invariance in order to more accurately model changes in the RBS-EC over time. Repetitive motor and self-directed behaviors showed a linear decline from 8 to 36 months, while higher-order behaviors showed a quadratic trajectory such that they began to decline later in development at around 18 months. Using adjusted factor scores as opposed to unadjusted raw mean scores provided a number of benefits, including increased within-person variability and precision. Conclusions The RBS-EC is sensitive enough to measure the presence of RRBs in a TD sample, as well as their decline with age. Using factor score estimates of each subscale adjusted for non-invariance allowed us to more precisely estimate change in these behaviors over time.

scholarly journals Parent-mediated early intervention for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD)

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 146-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inalegwu P. Oono ◽  
Emma J. Honey ◽  
Helen McConachie
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Early Intervention ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Cochrane Review ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Young Children With Autism ◽  
Spectrum Disorders

Young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have impairments in the areas of communication and social interaction and often display repetitive or non-compliant behaviour. This early pattern of difficulties is a challenge for parents. Therefore, approaches that help parents develop strategies for interaction and management of behaviour are an obvious route for early intervention in ASD. This review updates a Cochrane review first published in 2002 but is based on a new protocol.

scholarly journals Genotype-Based Deep Learning in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Diagnostic Classification and Prognostic Prediction Using Common Genetic Variants (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haishuai Wang ◽  
Paul Avillach
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Deep Learning ◽  
The United States ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Screening Tools ◽  
Common Variants ◽  
Autism Screening

BACKGROUND In the United States, about 3 million people have autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and around 1 out of 59 children are diagnosed with ASD. People with ASD have characteristic social communication deficits and repetitive behaviors. The causes of this disorder remain unknown; however, in up to 25% of cases, a genetic cause can be identified. Detecting ASD as early as possible is desirable because early detection of ASD enables timely interventions in children with ASD. Identification of ASD based on objective pathogenic mutation screening is the major first step toward early intervention and effective treatment of affected children. OBJECTIVE Recent investigation interrogated genomics data for detecting and treating autism disorders, in addition to the conventional clinical interview as a diagnostic test. Since deep neural networks perform better than shallow machine learning models on complex and high-dimensional data, in this study, we sought to apply deep learning to genetic data obtained across thousands of simplex families at risk for ASD to identify contributory mutations and to create an advanced diagnostic classifier for autism screening. METHODS After preprocessing the genomics data from the Simons Simplex Collection, we extracted top ranking common variants that may be protective or pathogenic for autism based on a chi-square test. A convolutional neural network–based diagnostic classifier was then designed using the identified significant common variants to predict autism. The performance was then compared with shallow machine learning–based classifiers and randomly selected common variants. RESULTS The selected contributory common variants were significantly enriched in chromosome X while chromosome Y was also discriminatory in determining the identification of autistic from nonautistic individuals. The ARSD, MAGEB16, and MXRA5 genes had the largest effect in the contributory variants. Thus, screening algorithms were adapted to include these common variants. The deep learning model yielded an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.955 and an accuracy of 88% for identifying autistic from nonautistic individuals. Our classifier demonstrated a significant improvement over standard autism screening tools by average 13% in terms of classification accuracy. CONCLUSIONS Common variants are informative for autism identification. Our findings also suggest that the deep learning process is a reliable method for distinguishing the diseased group from the control group based on the common variants of autism.

The Use of a Stimulus Control Transfer Procedure to Teach Motivation-Controlled Mands to Children With Autism

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 215-225
Author(s):  
Karen D. Ward ◽  
Smita Shukla Mehta
Keyword(s):  
Stimulus Control ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Motivating Operations ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Multiple Baseline ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Baseline Design ◽  
Mand Training ◽  
Control Transfer

Social participation of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in natural environments can be enhanced by teaching them to communicate spontaneously, at least in situations where they have the motivation to access specific items or activities by controlling the amount of access for these stimuli. The purpose of this study was to determine if mand training, using a stimulus control transfer procedure would promote acquisition and generalization of mands for specific activities or objects evoked by motivating operations. Measurement variables included the frequency of motivation controlled (MO) versus multiply controlled mands during discrete trial training on a variety of verbal operants. Using a concurrent multiple baseline design across participants, visual analysis indicated that MO mands for out-of-view items increased substantially with generalization across targets, staff, and environments for three of the four participants. One participant did not respond to intervention to the same extent as others.

Effects of School-Home Communication With Parent-Implemented Reinforcement on Off-Task Behavior for Students With ASD

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha E. Goldman ◽  
Kelli A. Sanderson ◽  
Blair P. Lloyd ◽  
Erin E. Barton
Keyword(s):  
Single Case ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Single Case Design ◽  
Design Standards ◽  
Baseline Design ◽  
Functional Relations ◽  
Task Behavior ◽  
Students With Autism ◽  
Spectrum Disorders

AbstractSchool-home communication is highly valued for parents of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other developmental disabilities. However, parents report poor communication as a common barrier to developing partnerships with schools. Using a multiple baseline design, we evaluated the effects of a school-home note intervention with parent-implemented reinforcement for decreasing off-task behavior of students with ASD at school. We also evaluated social validity (i.e., feasibility and acceptability) of the intervention and outcomes. Only two of the four participants showed clear behavior change, which precluded the demonstration of functional relations. However, all participating parents and teachers reported the school-home note and parent-implemented contingent reinforcement were highly feasible and acceptable, and indicated positive outcomes relating to improved family-school partnership and communication. Findings of this study, which meets single-case design standards and quality indicators, are discussed in terms of future research and practice.

Effects of Video Modeling for Young Adults With Autism in Community Employment Settings

2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 209-225
Author(s):  
Leslie Ann Bross ◽  
Jason C. Travers ◽  
Howard P. Wills ◽  
Jonathan M. Huffman ◽  
Emma K. Watson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Video Modeling ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Functional Relation ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Adults With Autism ◽  
Target Behaviors ◽  
Young Adults With Autism

This single case design study evaluated the effects of a video modeling (VM) intervention on the customer service skills of five young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Verbalization of greeting, service, and closing phrases contextualized to community employment settings were the target behaviors. A systematic approach to visual analysis indicated the presence of a functional relation for all participants. Coworkers, job coaches, and supervisors successfully applied the VM intervention during the generalization condition. Maintenance probes conducted at 2 and 4 weeks indicated that most customer service skills were maintained. Results indicated VM was also effective in enhancing the quality of interactions with customers. Implications for research and practice related to the competitive employment of young adults with ASD are discussed.

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