Joint attention (JA) is a pivotal prelinguistic skill critical to developing language and social repertoires. This behavior is often absent or delayed in children with autism spectrum disorder, commonly resulting in problematic communicative consequences. Behavior-based interventions have been used to teach autistic children to initiate and…

Feeding difficulties occur at a high rate in children with normal development and at a disproportionally high rate in children with developmental disabilities. Prolonged problematic eating, categorized as Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD), can result in poor physical growth and jeopardize overall health. Extant research on applied behavior analysis…

One of the most important outcomes in a child's education is the ability to read proficiently, which can improve future academic progress and occupational success. Due to the impairments in social and communication areas of development for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), literacy provides the possibility of improved communication…

Children with emotional disturbance have historically poor outcomes, including separate school environments, exclusion from school due to disciplinary actions, high dropout rates, poor employment outcomes, and incarceration. Therefore, it is imperative that children displaying early warning signs for risk of emotional disturbance receive effective…

Over recent years, the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) has trended toward increased focus on improving the ethics and social validity of behavior analytic interventions. As part of this shift, ABA researchers and practitioners have begun to call long-held practices into question and seek alternative options. Despite their evidence base,…

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is considered an applied science under the umbrella of behavior analysis and was accepted into the mainstream science in the mid-1900s. An increase in the prevalence of autism gave rise to the need for evidence-based social skills curricula. Previous research indicated many children respond well to video modeling…

There are many different interventions available to individuals with autism, and the benefits of each therapy may vary for each student. Two vastly different treatments are discrete trial teaching (DTT) and the verbal behavior approach (VBA). While both are based in the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA), VBA relies more on naturalistic…

Parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) living in underserviced rural areas were provided with training based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) through a combination of teleconsultation and the online Rethink Autism program. Primary study aims were gains in child behavior and parent ABA implementation integrity, with secondary…

This study examined the effects of psychoeducation method (video vs. manual) on the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of participants regarding the education of children with autism within a group design. There was not a significant difference between the two groups on the participants' thoughts, attitudes, or knowledge. Study Two examined the…