Examining the Effects of Discrete Trials, Mass Trials, and Naturalistic Environment Training on Autistic Individuals Using Repeated Measures.

Introduction: Behavioral interventions based on applied behavior analysis (ABA) form current evidence-based practices in treating autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Research is scarce relative to the broad effects of intensive repetitive, discrete trial training, and mass trials combined with a naturalistic environment as measured by overall general target behaviors. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a mixed behavioral model consisting of discrete trial training and mass trial interventions in the naturalistic environment, using a repeated measures design with a retrospective snapshot cohort of 93 individuals with autism.

Methods: A repeated measures analysis tracked 89 autistic children with four adult autistic individuals over seven time points during a three-month snapshot period from March 19, 2023, to June 11, 2023. This study determined the effectiveness of applied behavior analysis (ABA) interventions combining discrete trial training, mass trials, and naturalistic environment training on mastered broad target behaviors in autistic individuals using a mixed (between and within) ANOVA statistical design.

Results: Mixed (between and within) ANOVA indicated overall statistical significance, F (6,674)=45.447, p<0.001, partial eta squared=0.365 across time. These results indicated a large effect size. Multiple comparisons showed statistical significance (p<0.001) on all 21 multiple comparisons between timepoints. There was also a significant interaction effect with time × age category, F (24,474)=2.961, p<0.001, partial eta squared=0.130. These results also indicated a large effect size.

Conclusions: Autistic individuals who received applied behavior analysis combining discrete trial training, mass trials, and naturalistic environment training intervention demonstrated statistically significant improvement in target behaviors over the three-month snapshot period, the most prominent being in the 13-16 years age category.