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…

Purpose: Applied behavior analysis (ABA) interventions are considered an evidence-based practice for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, behavior analytic professionals quickly pivoted ABA therapy to the telehealth modality to ensure continuity of services. In particular, this modality has been reported to…

Previous research demonstrates the efficacy of behavioral skills training with a textual prompt to establish greetings and conversational skills. This study examined the efficacy of a brief intervention of textual prompts with performance feedback for increasing social niceties of adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder in a…

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a widely studied and commonly used psychosocial intervention for treating emotional problems in individuals with autism. To date, most studies of cognitive behavioral therapy and autism have focused on "efficacy." "Effectiveness" trials, by contrast, measure whether an intervention produces…

Anxiety in autism is an important treatment target because of its consequences for quality of life and well-being. Growing evidence suggests that cognitive behaviour therapies and mindfulness-based therapies can ameliorate anxiety in autism but cost-effective delivery remains a challenge. This pilot randomised controlled trial examined whether…

Many teachers and parents of young children with disabilities, particularly autism spectrum disorder (ASD), are familiar with young children who engage in repetitive and restrictive behaviors such as flapping, spinning, and rocking. This type of restrictive and repetitive behavior, or stereotypy, can be common, over time it can become problematic…

Classroom Pivotal Response Teaching (CPRT) is a naturalistic behavioral intervention for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that was systematically adapted for teacher use. In this study, the authors evaluate outcomes of a large randomized trial training teachers (n = 126) to use CPRT. Training involved 12 hours of small group sessions…

Among social skills that are core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, turn-taking plays a fundamental role in regulating social interaction and communication. Our main focus in this study is to investigate the effectiveness of a robot-enhanced intervention on turn-taking abilities. We aim to identify to what degree social robots can improve…

Teaching toilet training skills to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be challenging. Many techniques use Azrin and Foxx's Rapid Toilet Training method (RTT). However, some children with ASD find the first RTT step of entering the bathroom or restroom to be challenging due to the relatively loud sound of the toilet flushing. Although…

Parent-mediated interventions (PMIs) are commonly used with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and their effectiveness for young children has been documented. However, no reviews have examined the use of PMIs with older children with ASD. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to investigate the state of the literature regarding PMIs…

This proof-of-concept study assessed the feasibility of implementing Prevent-Teach-Reinforce-for-Young-Children (PTR-YC) program to address challenging behaviors in children with autism within the context of public, specialized early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) services offered in community settings. Following a 2-day training and…

Play is a universal activity that is an integral part of childhood experiences and aids in the development of important skills. While most children naturally engage in play, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) do not follow the typical pattern of play development and often exhibit delays in play skills. One of the defining characteristics…

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a natural science dedicated to using behavioral principles to address socially important problems. One area in which behavior analysts have made compelling gains in the last 50 years is in developing, evaluating, and disseminating effective interventions for people with significant intellectual and developmental…

At Rushton Manor School, a small independent school in the South West of England, the proportion of young people with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC), a form of Social, Communication and Language Need (SCLN), was substantially higher than regional averages: 15% at the school versus 5.4% in primary schools and 8.7% in secondary schools regionally…

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) display social-communication deficits and present with rigid and repetitive patterns of behavior and/or interests (RRBIs). Compared to interventions for social-communication skills, less attention has been given to RRBIs, especially with regard to interventions for young children. We surveyed 128…