Social stories is a widely used intervention for children on the autism spectrum, particularly within an educational context. To date, systematic reviews and meta analyses of the research evaluating social stories has produced mixed results, often due to a lack of methodological rigour and variability in the development and delivery of the social…

Functional communication training (FCT) is one of the most common treatments for challenging behavior and is considered an empirically supported practice for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, no previous systematic review has evaluated the quality of FCT for adults with ASD, and the empirical support for this…

Adolescents with autism often experience pronounced difficulties with social communication, and novel interventions designed to improve core abilities are greatly needed. This study examines if providing immediate video feedback, an extension of video self-modeling, can aid adolescents with autism to self-identify strengths and irregularities from…

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the combined effects of perceptual-motor exercises and vitamin D[subscript 3] supplementation on the reduction of stereotypical behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: In this study, 100 eligible children with age ranging from 6 to 9 years were randomly selected and…

This study examined a behavioral intervention package to promote the use of target vocalizations alongside speech-generating device (SGD) mands. Six minimally verbal children with autism spectrum disorder participated, including three with no prior SGD experience. During baseline, SGD responses resulted in access to a preferred item and there was…

For preschool children with autism, individual behavioral interventions are among the best-tested treatments. However, they are rarely implemented in special education preschools. We observed one-to-one behavioral interventions formally and informally delivered by staff (N = 51) in 12 classrooms across three preschools for children with autism,…

Background: Traditional treatment for the behavioural symptoms in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains unsatisfactory. There is an urgent need for new, biologically relevant therapies that target both the core and comorbid symptoms that children may experience. This article builds on research previously published by the authors. Method: We…

Five participants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) between the ages of 10 and 14 years attended a twice-weekly social skills group for 8 weeks. A multiple probe design across skills with concurrent replication across participants was utilized to assess the effects of social skills training using multiple exemplars and lag schedules on social…

Objective: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the effects of alternate seating on increasing the attention and in-seat behaviors of preschoolers with autism. Method: This study used a single subject, A-B-A-B design across a convenience sample of four preschoolers with ASD. During baseline phases (A), participants used the floor;…

Background: Needle phobias are common in children and adults worldwide. One effective intervention for this phobia is exposure therapy where a participant is gradually exposed to increasing levels of the fear-evoking stimulus while differential reinforcement is applied. This intervention, however, may be difficult to implement with some medical…

Communicating with peers often poses challenges for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); these social interactions, however, can be especially difficult during the teenage years. For many adolescents with ASD, peer interaction is often limited or nonexistent, even for those taught in general education settings. The purpose of this…

This two-site randomized waitlist-control study (n = 96 mother-child dyads) examined the efficacy of a psychoeducation program as compared to usual care to empower Latina mothers and improve their confidence in and use of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for their children with ASD. A secondary aim was to improve child outcomes. Compared to control…

Parental involvement in intervention can support intervention efficacy, improve generalization, and increase accessibility. The Preschool Life Skills (PLS) program is designed to teach 13 preschool life skills and prevent problem behavior. The current study explores the utility of the PLS program as delivered by parents. In Experiment 1, 6 parents…

This study investigated the effects of four behavior-change techniques for caregivers implementing a 15-week literacy intervention with their children with language impairment. Techniques include modeling, encouragement, feedback, and rewards. Random assignment within a factorial experimental design was used to determine which behavior-change…

The complex interaction between anxiety and autism has led to debate about the presentation of anxiety in individuals on the spectrum and questions about the extent to which traditional checklists assess the entire range of symptomatology. Moreover, studies to date have not explored how the presentation of anxiety may differ between settings.…