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| International Paper Session - Trends in Service Delivery and Outcomes |
| Sunday, May 25, 2008 |
| 1:30 PM–2:50 PM |
| PDR 4 |
| Area: AUT |
| Chair: Betty Fry Williams (Whitworth University) |
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| Current Trends in ABA Services to Individuals with Autism. |
| Domain: Applied Research |
| BETTY FRY WILLIAMS (Whitworth University), Randy Lee Williams (Gonzaga University) |
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| Abstract: This presentation summarizes trends observed in current services to individuals with autism based on on-site interviews and site visits with prominent research-based ABA service providers in the United States and in the United Kingdom. The report reviews the latest autism prevalence data and identifies service trends including earlier diagnosis, reduced aggression and self-injury, increased transition to natural settings and natural reinforcers, onsite training of personnel, development of curricula and computer assisted instruction, visual communication approaches, intensiveness of treatment, and increasing dependence on Board Certified Behavior Analysts. Among the centers interviewed were the Lovaas Institute, the Koegel Center, Partington’s Teaching and Reinforcement Systems School (STARS), the University of Washington’s Project DATA, the New England Children's Center, the May Institute, the Judge Rotenberg Center and London’s Tree House and the Young Autism Project. |
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| A Quantitative Approach to ABA Intervention Effectiveness on Autism: An Effect Size Meta-Analysis. |
| Domain: Applied Research |
| JAVIER VIRUES ORTEGA (Instituto de Salud Carlos III), Jose Julio Carnerero (Centro Almudaris), Ana Pastor Sanz (Centro Almudaris) |
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| Abstract: Since the classic study by Lovaas (1987) over 25 controlled trials have been published measuring the effectiveness of behavior analytic interventions on autistic children's behavior. Among these studies, social and intellectual functioning have been frequently reported. Although these grossly defined variables may be of limited utility for practitioners, quantitative evidence using group-based methodology on the effectiveness of behavior analytic interventions is most needed for cross-field communication and healthy decision-making. Thus, meta-analysis of behavior analytic interventions could add to behavior analysis credibility and dissemination. Effect size meta-analysis is a standard for clinical effectiveness measurement and clinical data reduction. In addition, meta-regression analyses can provide insight on the impact of participant- and treatment-related variables, whose impact is not obvious when studies are taken separately. In this presentation we will report the results of an effect size meta-analysis implementing state-of-the-art methods to control for inconsistent metrics and designs across studies. QUORUM guidelines for systematic review and meta-analysis quality were followed. |
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| Clinical Significant Effects of Behavioral Treatment for Children with Autism: An Analysis of the Published Literature Using the Reliable Change Index. |
| Domain: Applied Research |
| SIGMUND ELDEVIK (Center for Early Intervention) |
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| Abstract: To evaluate effectiveness of behavioral treatment in terms of clinical significance we applied a statistical approach outlined by Jacobson and Truax (1991). In this paper various formulae are proposed for determining thresholds for what may be considered clinically significant change. The computation of a Reliable Change index (RC) can tell you at or above which score it is a 95% chance that the change is not due to some chance fluctuation such as measurement unreliability and/or variability in scores. A Reliable Change index for children that had received behavioral treatment; both on IQ and VABS scores were computed at the standard level of 1.96. According to these formulae change in IQ had to be larger than 26.9 points to be considered reliable and for the VABS the change had to be larger than ca 20.9 ABC points. Reliable change criteria were met for 29.8% on IQ (84 out of 282) and 19.5% on VABS (49 out of 251). |
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