Disabled trans students may be multiply marginalized and/or have reduced access to otherwise affirming gender identity- or disability-related spaces in educational contexts because of their intersectional identities. At present, a limited understanding of disabled trans students school experiences are known. This dissertation was constructed using…

Treatments for individuals with developmental disabilities regularly include assessments of individual choice and preference. These procedures assist in the development, design, and maintenance of effective, evidence-based practices. Despite widespread use, these assessments may or may not accurately identify reinforcers that will be effective in…

Genetic syndrome groups at high risk of autism comorbidity, like Down syndrome and fragile X syndrome, have been presented as useful models for understanding risk and protective factors involved in the emergence of autistic traits. Yet despite reaching clinical thresholds, these 'syndromic' forms of autism appear to differ in significant ways from…

Many children on the autism spectrum have difficulty developing reading comprehension skills. This multiple phase single case design pilot study examined the impact of a computer-assisted reading tool, Reading Eggspress™, with or without teacher directed instruction on the reading comprehension skills of four children on the autism spectrum (mean…

With a growing number of students with disabilities participating in online distance education, there is a need to explore support strategies that promote their academic success in these virtual environments. For students with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), this type of learning environment often lacks the structure and support for them to…

Background: Deficits in the ability to use language in social contexts, including storytelling skills, are observed across the autism spectrum. Development in machine-learning approaches may contribute to clinical psychology and psychiatry, given its potential to support decisions concerning the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric conditions…

To compare the effect of sensory diets on children's sensory processing, psychosocial skills, and classroom engagement to a control intervention of non-therapeutic fine-motor or visual activities. A single-subject ABCA experimental design was used with five children attending prekindergarten through fourth-grade special education in an urban…

Tackling mental health difficulties in adolescents on the autism spectrum requires a comprehensive prevention approach. A 3-year multisite proof-of-concept longitudinal study implemented an evidence-based multilevel resilience intervention in schools to promote protective factors at the adolescent, parent, and school level. The intervention,…

In addition to the core characteristics of ASD, recent research has demonstrated that children on the autism spectrum develop motor skills differently, often delayed, compared with peers. Motor skill interventions can help improve motor skills, which in turn can increase the likelihood of participating in physical activity (PA) and potential to…

One of the biggest milestones in an adolescent's life can be getting a driver's license. However, compared to the general population, individuals with ASD get their driver's license later in life, and drive less often. Adolescents with ASD who are eligible to get a driver's license are encouraged to do so, as having a license can result in…

Paraeducators play an important role in assisting teachers and other professionals to support students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including delivering positive behavioral supports to those students who engage in persistent challenging behavior. The purpose of this multiple baseline design across participants study was to support…

Aim: We conducted two separate but related multiple baseline with alternating treatment single-case design studies to investigate the effect of the same reading intervention for students with autism spectrum disorder being implemented under different conditions. Method: We conducted a researcher-implemented study in a public school (Study 1) and a…

Young children with autism spectrum disorder are increasingly placed in general education classrooms, particularly in the early grades (kindergarten through grade 3). Estimates suggest at least 40% of general education teachers have these children in their classrooms, and many report feeling ill-equipped to support them, primarily due to lack of…

With the rapid increase in the diagnostic rates of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there has been a growing need for evaluating the trends in training natural change agents to implement behavioral interventions and coming to a consensus on training procedures that are efficacious, efficient, and accessible. The purpose of this multiple manuscript…

This exploratory study sought to compare the parenting variables of parenting stress, perceived social support, and parenting styles among Japanese mothers (n = 42) of children with autism and those (n = 36) without autism, and examine associations between children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors and these variables by using parent…