Timely diagnosis of dysphagia is important for people with an intellectual disability. Periodic screening of each individual by speech-language therapists is barely feasible with respect to limited resources. Therefore, preselection of individuals with an increased dysphagia risk through screening by caregivers is crucial. This study aimed to…

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities (ASD/DD) often need to be explicitly taught personal hygiene skills (e.g., menstrual care, penile care and washing and cleaning of intimate body parts). The taboo and private nature of intimate care skills has often led practitioners to avoid teaching these skills…

Evidence-based maternal and early childhood home visiting (EBHV) may support health and well-being among families headed by a caregiver with an intellectual disability or other learning difference. Little is known about tools EBHV staff can use to identify caregivers with learning differences and inform service delivery strategies. Investigators…

The current study examined the convergent validity between the standardized PEAK Comprehensive Assessment (PCA) and the semi-standardized PEAK Pre-assessment (PEAK-PA). Twenty-two participants were administered each tool, and an item by item analysis was conducted to evaluate correlations between tests. The results suggested a strong positive…

Recent surveillance efforts indicate that 1 in 54 American children meet the criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), making it the fastest growing neurodevelopmental disorder in the U.S. Despite evidence that ASD can be reliably diagnosed as early as 24 months, the median age at ASD diagnosis in 2016 in the U.S. was 51 months. The CLEAR…

The Social Competence Observation Scale (SCOS) is an objective observational measure developed to assess the social performance of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This paper describes development of the SCOS and results of initial testing of reliability and treatment sensitivity for a sample of 12 children, ages 4-6 years, with ASD.…

To explore the psychometric properties of the Greek version of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0-12 item) in adult patients suffering from motor disabilities. The questionnaire of WHODAS 2.0-12 item was officially translated and cross-culturally adapted into Greek (WHODAS 2.0-12Gr). 136 adult patients with…

Despite the early onset of challenging behaviors, there is a lack of research investigating the function of challenging behavior in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and developmental disabilities (DDs). The current study evaluated group differences in the frequency and severity of five functions of challenging behavior (i.e.,…

Quality of life (QoL) is a key outcome used to monitor service planning and delivery for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). Unfortunately, many current instruments used to measure QoL have psychometric and content limitations and none are suitable for use with individuals with the lowest levels of functioning and…

Research indicates that individuals with visual impairments tend not to meet the physical activity guidelines for health promotion. Existing literature has identified barriers to physical activity as having the potential to impact the physical activity engagement of this population. Most studies of barriers to physical activity among populations…

The Early Learner Curriculum and Achievement Record (ELCAR, Greer et al., 2020) is a criterion-referenced curriculum and assessment of children's development of language and social repertoires from the earliest foundational observing responses to advanced verbal repertoires. The developmental cusps or stages identified in the ELCAR have been…

Between 30 and 50% of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) do not develop vocal language deemed functionally acceptable to meet their daily communication needs. As a result, individuals with ASD may require intervention alternatives to vocal speech, such as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). However, very little is known…

The present study examined the relationships between the standardized applied behavior analysis (ABA) direct assessment, the PEAK Comprehensive Assessment (PCA), and established assessments commonly used in educational and clinical settings, including the Childhood Autism Rating Scale - Third Edition (CARS-3), the PDD Behavior Inventory (PDDBI),…