A cross-linguistic approach to treating speech sound disorders in bilingual children.

The present study explores generalisation of production skills across languages when treating speech sound disorders in bilingual children. Early work suggests that treating shared sounds across languages may facilitate cross-linguistic generalisation. Thus, selecting shared sounds across languages as targets may have clinical advantages.

The Collateral Effects of Antecedent Exercise on Stereotypy and Other Nonstereotypic Behaviors Exhibited by Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review.

The presence of stereotypy is one of the core features exhibited by individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Stereotypy can interfere with academic engagement and become a major barrier to appropriate education and social development of individuals with ASD. Studies have shown that antecedent physical exercise can produce reductions in stereotypy and positive collateral effects.

Functional Analysis in Public School Settings: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Previous studies have shown that variations of experimental functional analysis (FA) can be used effectively as part of the functional behavioral assessment process in educational settings. The purpose of the current study was to review the literature pertaining to FA of problem behavior in schools focusing on method, topographies, and results. Results of this review showed that analog functional analysis (AFA) are conducted most often in school settings; but recent trends show that use of adapted formats (e.

Training Culturally Diverse Caregivers to Decrease Their Child's Challenging Behaviors: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Parents are the primary source of support for their children and can become principal interventionists for preventing and treating their child's challenging behavior. Yet, providing adequate and adapted training for culturally diverse families can be difficult due to the increase of international migration and the diversity of languages spoken worldwide. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated 13 studies that implemented training for caregivers with limited proficiency in the majority language.

Reading Intervention for Students with ASD in the Middle Grades: An Alternating Treatment Study of Embedded Interests Reading and Expository Text Conditions.

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 teacher-implemented study in a specialized private charter school for children with ASD (Study 2). In each study, we compared a typical intervention approach with interest-based text intervention that included reading on each child's interest area.

Replication and Extension of the Effects of Lag Schedules on Mand Variability and Challenging Behavior During Functional Communication Training.

More is known about how to reduce challenging behavior with functional communication training (FCT) than how to mitigate its resurgence during or following a course of treatment. Research suggests reinforcing mand variability during FCT may mitigate the resurgence of challenging behavior, but validated procedures for reinforcing mand variability are limited and poorly understood. Lag schedules can reinforce variability in verbal behavior such as manding in individuals with autism, but studies have been largely limited to nonvocal mand modalities.

Treating destructive behavior reinforced by increased caregiver compliance with the participant's mands.

Functional analyses sometimes do not identify momentary fluctuations in the function of destructive behavior (Bowman, Fisher, Thompson, & Piazza, 1997). In such cases, individuals may mand for the reinforcer that is currently most preferred and display destructive behavior if that mand goes unreinforced. In this study, we conducted a mand analysis to test whether destructive behavior functioned as a precurrent response that increased reinforcement for the participant's mands.

An Evaluation of the Effects of Varying Magnitudes of Reinforcement on Variable Responding Exhibited by Individuals With Autism.

Interventions aimed at increasing communicative response variability hold particular importance for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Several procedures have been demonstrated in the applied and translational literature to increase response variability. However, little is known about the relationship between reinforcer magnitude and response variability.

Vocabulary and Main Idea Reading Intervention Using Text Choice to Improve Content Knowledge and Reading Comprehension of Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This simultaneous replication single-case design study investigated a vocabulary and main idea intervention with an aspect of text choice provided to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Five middle school students with ASD participated in two instructional groups taught by school-based personnel. Results were initially mixed.

Effects of a Lag Schedule with Progressive Time Delay on Sign Mand Variability in a Boy with Autism.

For some children with autism, mand training can produce highly repetitive manding unless the environment is arranged in a manner that promotes mand variability. Prior research demonstrated that mand training using a lag schedule and progressive time delay increased variability in vocal manding in children with autism. Whether lag schedules have similar effects on sign mand topographies is unknown.

The Special Issue on the Education of Behavior Analysts: Common Themes.

The goal of 's special issue on the education of behavior analysts is to highlight a variety of works on the topic of teaching and mentoring students in behavior analysis. The special issue is composed of empirical studies that evaluated teaching procedures aimed at the effective training of behavior analysts; surveys focusing on the content of training programs, including common readings and other components; and commentaries on topics pertaining to teaching and mentoring behavior analysts. Several themes emerged across the issue, including (a) a focus on knowledge of basic principles of behavior analysis, (b) the direct application of operant-based principles in the teaching and mentorship of behavior analysis students, and (c) a significant emphasis on the meaningful application of behavior analysis.

An evaluation of delay to reinforcement and mand variability during functional communication training.

Children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities often exhibit invariant responding (i.e., restricted behavioral repertoires), deficits in communication, and challenging behavior.

Lag Schedules and Functional Communication Training: Persistence of Mands and Relapse of Problem Behavior.

We evaluated the effects of lag schedules of reinforcement and functional communication training (FCT) on mand variability and problem behavior in two children with autism spectrum disorder. Specifically, we implemented FCT with increasing lag schedules and compared its effects on problem behavior with baseline conditions. The results showed that both participants exhibited low rates of problem behavior during treatment relative to baseline during and following schedule thinning (up to a Lag 5 schedule arrangement).

An Evaluation of Lag Schedules of Reinforcement During Functional Communication Training: Effects on Varied Mand Responding and Challenging Behavior.

We evaluated the effects of lag schedules of reinforcement during functional communication training (FCT) on the varied use of mands and challenging behavior by two individuals diagnosed with autism. Specifically, we compared the effects of Lag 0 and Lag 1 schedules of reinforcement during FCT. The results showed that each participant exhibited increases in varied mand responding during FCT with the Lag 1 schedule of reinforcement relative to Lag 0; challenging behavior remained low during both FCT lag conditions relative to baseline.

Effects of a lag schedule of reinforcement with progressive time delay on topographical mand variability in children with autism.

Objective: Evaluate the effects of a Lag 1 schedule of reinforcement and progressive time delay (TD) on topographical mand variability in children with autism.

Methods: Using single-subject design methodology, a multiple baseline across behaviors with embedded reversal design was employed. During Lag 0, reinforcement was delivered contingent on any independent instances of manding.

Behavioral Skills Training to Improve the Abduction-Prevention Skills of Children with Autism.

A concurrent multiple baseline across participants design evaluated the effects of behavioral skills training (BST) on abduction-prevention skills of four children with autism. Across phases, confederates presented four types of abduction lures: (a) simple requests, (b) appeals to authority, (c) assistance requests, and (d) incentives. During baseline, lures resulted in children leaving with confederate strangers.

Translational evaluation of a lag schedule and variability in food consumed by a boy with autism and food selectivity.

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of a lag schedule of positive reinforcement on variability in food consumed by a boy with autism and food selectivity.

Methods: Using single-subject experimental design methodology, an ABAB design was employed. During lag 0 (condition A), high-preferred toys were delivered contingent on consumption of any food.

Effects of script training on the peer-to-peer communication of children with autism spectrum disorder.

A multiple baseline design across participants was used to demonstrate the effects of a script-training procedure on the peer-to-peer communication of 3 children with autism spectrum disorder during group play with peers. Both scripted and unscripted initiations as well as responses to peers increased for all 3 participants. Stimulus generalization across novel toys, settings, and peers was observed.

Improving learning with science and social studies text using computer-based concept maps for students with disabilities.

Concept maps have been used to help students with learning disabilities (LD) improve literacy skills and content learning, predominantly in secondary school. However, despite increased access to classroom technology, no previous studies have examined the efficacy of computer-based concept maps to improve learning from informational text for students with LD in elementary school. In this study, we used a concurrent delayed multiple probe design to evaluate the interactive use of computer-based concept maps on content acquisition with science and social studies texts for Hispanic students with LD in Grades 4 and 5.

Further evaluation of latency-based brief functional analysis methods: An evaluation of treatment utility.

Objective: Objectives were to evaluate latency-based brief functional analysis (BFA) model for identifying functions of aberrant behavior and treatments generated based on the results of the latency-based brief functional analysis.

Methods: We conducted latency-based BFA, including contingency reversals, and function-based treatment evaluations, including non-contingent reinforcement (NCR) and differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) with three individuals with autism using single subject design methodology.

Results: Socially-mediated functions (attention; tangible) were indicated for two participants and an automatic function was identified for one participant.

The Effects of a Tier 3 Intervention on the Mathematics Performance of Second Grade Students With Severe Mathematics Difficulties.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a systematic, explicit, intensive Tier 3 (tertiary) intervention on the mathematics performance of students in second grade with severe mathematics difficulties. A multiple-baseline design across groups of participants showed improved mathematics performance on number and operations concepts and procedures, which are the foundation for later mathematics success. In the previous year, 12 participants had experienced two doses (first and second semesters) of a Tier 2 intervention.

An evaluation of resurgence of appropriate communication in individuals with autism who exhibit severe problem behavior.

We evaluated resurgence of mands exhibited by 3 individuals with autism and histories of problem behavior. The experimental conditions consisted of (a) reinforcement of a mand, (b) extinction, (c) reinforcement of a 2nd mand, and (d) extinction to test for resurgence of the 1st mand. This 4-component sequence was implemented 3 times with each participant, and resurgence occurred during 8 of 9 tests for resurgence.

An evaluation of generalization of mands during functional communication training.

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the generalization of mands during functional communication training (FCT) and sign language training across functional contexts (i.e., positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement).

Further evaluations of functional communication training and chained schedules of reinforcement to treat multiple functions of challenging behavior.

We evaluated functional communication training (FCT) combined with a chained schedule of reinforcement procedure for the treatment of challenging behavior exhibited by two individuals diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and autism. Following functional analyses that suggested that challenging behavior served multiple functions for both participants, we implemented FCT in which mands for a discriminative stimulus (S(D); wristband) were reinforced with access to the S(D) and all three functional reinforcers. Next, we modified the procedure by incorporating delays to increase ease of implementation and promote toleration of delays to reinforcement.

A comparison of methodologies of brief functional analysis.

Objective: To evaluate correspondence between three models of brief functional analysis (BFA); to evaluate a latency-based model of BFA.

Methods: Single subject research; three models of BFA; latency-based BFA; brief A-B model with programmed antecedents and no programmed consequences for aberrant behaviour; A-B-C model with programmed antecedents and programmed consequences for aberrant behaviour; contingency reversal treatment evaluations conducted with each model; each model implemented with four individuals with autism diagnoses; correspondence of results between the three BFA models in terms of the conditions in which aberrant behaviour occurred.

Results: Overall, strong correspondence between all three BFA models was observed; several specific instances of non-correspondence within participants observed; more differentiation observed between test and control conditions in A-B model than A-B-C model.