As part of ACT's Holistic Framework, ACT researchers developed a Behavioral Skills Framework that can be used to assess behavior in education and work settings. By utilizing specific statements of effective behaviors, known as performance level descriptors (PLDs) (e.g., communicating well in group tasks), the Behavioral Skills Framework is…

Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) has emerged as a useful assessment method to identify behavioral risk and monitor behavioral progress. The development of an online training module has provided an option for low cost training accessible to a wide variety of users at their convenience. Although evaluation of the DBR online training module has…

Reaction to a child's diagnosis can strongly affect the parent, but little is known about the aspects of the diagnostic process associated with such reactions. The pre-diagnostic levels of anxiety, depression, and parenting stress of 67 volunteer mothers of children subsequently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder were assessed, along with the…

This study used item response theory (IRT) to derive sets of maximally efficient items (SMI) for a brief behavior rating scale (BBRS) from a common universal screening tool (i.e., the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener--Student Rating Scale [mySAEBRS]). We also evaluated the change sensitivity of these items for potential use…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the concurrent validity, sensitivity to change, and teacher acceptability of Direct Behavior Rating single-item scales (DBR-SIS), a brief progress monitoring measure designed to assess student behavioral change in response to intervention. Twenty-four elementary teacher-student dyads implemented a daily…

Many schools attempt to identify and service students at risk for poor mental health outcomes within a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS). Universal screening within a MTSS requires technically adequate tools. The Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS) has been put forth as a technically adequate screener. Researchers…

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of a system of least prompts procedure and use of a graphic organizer to teach the academic literacy standard of comparing characters in text for elementary students with moderate and severe intellectual disability. A multiple probe across participants design was used to evaluate the results.…

This study aimed to assess the validity and normative statistics of the Farsi version of the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2). Among the mainstream elementary schools, 191 boys and 342 girls with a mean age of 9.46 (+ 1.72) years were recruited. Teachers and parents completed the SRS-2. The parents also answered the Social Communication…

This study investigated the effect of item position on descriptive statistics, psychometric information, and factor structure of the Pediatric Symptoms Checklist 17-item social-emotional screening instrument (PSC-17). The goal was to determine whether item position, either grouped by factor or mixed across constructs, produced similar results.…

Although peer-mediated interventions can provide effective pathways for enhancing the social outcomes of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), their application within secondary schools has been fairly limited. In this exploratory study, we examined the implementation of peer support arrangements and peer networks for 102 adolescents with…

Anxiety symptomatology is frequently reported in autistic children, and the prevalence of anxiety disorder is estimated at around 40%. However, most studies have focused upon children of age 8 years or above, so little is known about early signs of anxiety in younger children with autism. This study sought to describe anxiety-related…

Children with autism spectrum disorder have deficits in adaptive functioning. This study examines the adaptive behavior, its association with cognitive ability, gender, age, and symptom severity in children with autism spectrum disorder. Using data from Autism Treatment Network registry, the adaptive behavior profiles were examined in 2538…

Although peer-mediated interventions can provide effective pathways for enhancing the social outcomes of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), their application within secondary schools has been fairly limited. In this exploratory study, we examined the implementation of peer support arrangements and peer networks for 102 adolescents with…

Direct behavior rating (DBR) may be a viable assessment for documenting current areas of impaired functioning and progress monitoring students' response to a behavioral intervention. Challenging behaviors are often addressed in general education settings using interventions such as the daily report card (DRC). To best implement and monitor such…

Restricted and repetitive behavior (RRB) is one of the two key diagnostic features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). DSM-5 highlights the importance of severity-based diagnostic modifiers assigned on the basis of intensity of needed supports. Therefore, there is a need for available measures that assess the severity of RRB. The repetitive…