Behavior analysts are concerned with developing strong client-therapist relationships. One challenge to the development of such relationships may be a reliance on technical language that stakeholders find unpleasant. Previous research suggests that some behavior analysis terms evoke negative emotional responses. However, most relevant research was…

Objective: Children report needle procedures as one of their most feared and painful experiences. Negative blood test experiences can lead to lifelong implications. Xploro is an online health information platform (app) that uses age-appropriate self-directed augmented reality (AR) techniques. This study evaluated the acceptability, feasibility and…

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit challenging behaviors. Existing behavioral parent trainings (BPT) address ASD symptomology, but are lengthy and associated with significant attrition. In the current pilot study, a longitudinal randomized controlled trial was used to evaluate a novel brief BPT targeting caregivers of…

Background: Parent-only psychological interventions can be effective treatments for child anxiety. Involving parents in treatment may be beneficial for children, ensuring that interventions are delivered effectively in a supportive environment. Few studies have investigated the feasibility and acceptability of parent-only interventions for child…

This dissertation was designed to determine which behavior analytic intervention was more effective in the treatment and reduction of mouthing non-nutritive substances in children diagnosed with autism. This study included four participants in an A-B-A reversal design with a component analysis across four intervention phases. The study…

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for child anxiety disorders. Low-intensity forms of CBT, such as guided parent-delivered CBT (GPD-CBT), have been developed to increase access; however, it is unclear why some children benefit from this treatment and others do not. This qualitative study aimed to increase understanding…

Upon learning that their child has a neurodevelopmental disorder, families enter a different process and can experience problems related to their child's behavior management. This study was designed in response to a request from mothers with children diagnosed with various neurodevelopmental disorders. The study used a multi-level case study, one…

Research related to parental satisfaction with early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) remains limited. A 35-item questionnaire called the parental satisfaction scale--EIBI (PSS-EIBI) was developed with four subdomains (child outcomes, family outcomes, quality of the model, and relationship with the team). Study 1 assessed levels of…

Background: In an age where technology is pervasive, parents may find it difficult to educate their children in a healthy use of digital devices. Objective: In this preliminary study, we explore the potential value of an online Parent Training (PT) based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) in fostering parents' ability to regulate their children's…

Objectives: Sleep problems are prevalent among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and are often accompanied by stereotypies, the function of which may be difficult to determine. Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) is an evidence-based approach to assessing and treating challenging behaviors, however, it has scarcely been used with…

Anxiety is a common co-occurring condition in autism and impacts quality of life of autistic individuals and their families; autistic individuals who speak few or no words represent an under-researched group. This qualitative study aimed to understand more about parental recognition and management of anxiety in autistic individuals who speak few…

Teaching parents to conduct functional analyses and to implement functional communication training is an efficacious approach for treating socially maintained problem behavior (Derby et al., 1997). Research has found that delivering this assessment and intervention package via telehealth technologies is efficient and acceptable to caregivers in…

Insomnia is common in children with autism. Cognitive behavioral treatment for childhood insomnia may improve sleep and functioning in children with autism and their parents, but delivery involving multiple office visits limits accessibility. This single-arm pilot study tested telehealth delivery of eight-session cognitive behavioral treatment for…

Vocal stereotypy is a commonly occurring challenging behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that is frequently maintained by automatic reinforcement and often interferes with skill acquisition. Matched stimulation (MS), and response interruption and redirection (RIRD) are two interventions that have been demonstrated to be…

Children with autism spectrum disorders often exhibit comorbid behavioral problems. These problems have an impact on the severity of the core symptoms, the progression of the disorder as well as on the families' quality of life. We evaluated the effectiveness of the Stepping Stones Triple P group parent training program as a supplementary…