Rule-governed behavior (RGB) is behavior that is controlled by verbal descriptions of contingencies rather than by direct contact or a history of direct contact with the contingencies. Humans rely on RGB to navigate a multitude of life experiences, and in doing so, we avoid direct contact with destructive or harmful contingencies or contingencies…

Background: Research trials of early intervention (EI) programs for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) generally demonstrate medium-to-large gains, on average, compared with "treatment as usual," in different developmental domains. Almost all children with ASD receive their treatment through community-based services, however,…

Introduction: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families may experience high rates of stigmatization, including self-stigma, public stigma, stigma through association, and structural stigma. Methods: We conducted a scoping review of peer-reviewed publications to identify, describe, and summarize existing literature related…

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder affecting approximately 1 in 59 children (Baio et al. "MMWR Surveillance Summaries," "67"(6), 1, 2018). A commonly experienced psychiatric comorbidity in ASD is anxiety. Although this is known, little research has been done on the specific issues concerning…

Generalization and maintenance of intervention outcomes are of paramount importance in achieving socially significant outcomes within applied behavior analysis. Social skills interventions for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are widely represented within the empirical literature; however, generalization and maintenance outcomes…

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are common heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders, characterized by disruptions in social interactions, communication, and limitations in behavior. Early diagnosis is an important step to prevent progression of ASD. Recent developments in genetic technology provide useful tools to investigate the molecular…

Background: To advance early identification efforts, we must detect and characterize neurodevelopmental sequelae of risk among population-based samples early in development. However, variability across the typical-to-atypical continuum and heterogeneity within and across early emerging psychiatric/neurodevelopmental disorders represent fundamental…

For this study, 11 children with moderate to severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were given directives containing prepositions in three cue conditions: (a) spoken alone, (b) a short video clip along with spoken cues, and (c) a sequence of three graphic symbols accompanied by spoken cues. Participants followed directives significantly more…

Special education teachers are often responsible for training their staff how to support children with autism spectrum disorder in their classrooms. In addition to academic and behavioral interventions, paraeducators also need to be prepared to support students with complex communication needs. This study was designed to investigate the effects of…

Objective: The purpose of the current mixed-methods study was to examine self-efficacy and job satisfaction in general education and special education teachers of students with ASD. Method: Using a concurrent mixed methods research design, the quantitative portion of the study examined reports of self-efficacy pertaining to teaching students with…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how special education teachers and practitioners implement assistive technologies in the general education elementary classroom to improve the writing skills of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge (TPACK) and Vygotsky's social…

This dissertation is an exploration of the experiences and perceptions the behavior support plan (BSP) had on individuals placed into residential services or an independent living facility through a state waiver in Indianapolis, Indiana. Autistic high school graduates were addressed in this study to look at the various behaviors they faced when…

This study examined the response of high school principals as instructional leaders to the rise of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in public schools within the state of South Carolina. It specifically researched the impact of instructional leadership on students with ASD and the development of instructional leader principals when following the…

This paper systematically reviews the literature to determine if improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) improves classroom performance in students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Six databases were searched for the terms acoustics, signal-to-noise ratio, classroom and ASD. Five studies were found that met the selection criteria.All five…

Iron consumption among mothers has recently been found to decrease the risk of autism in offspring. However, epidemiological evidence of an increasing iron deficiency among mothers or infants is lacking, and evidence within an individual-level framework of iron deficiency confers doubt upon iron's role as a direct cause of autism. We attempt to…