Keeping up with the evidence base: Survey of behavior professionals about Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions.

LAY ABSTRACT: Primary service providers for young children on the autism spectrum and developmentally delayed children use many strategies under the umbrella of applied behavior analysis therapy. The evidence supporting interventions for children on the autism spectrum has changed last decade, and powerful research supports the relative effectiveness of Naturalistic Developmental Behavior Interventions, yet a few professionals serving young children on the autism spectrum receive training in this category of interventions. Board Certified Behavior Analysts and related professionals are the primary service providers for this population. The purpose of this survey study is to describe and understand the knowledge and beliefs that Behavior Analyst Certification Board certificants have around Naturalistic Developmental Behavior Interventions. The survey was completed by 901 respondents. Respondents indicated, on average, little to no knowledge of Naturalistic Developmental Behavior Intervention practices and few believe that these practices are effective or appropriate for the field. Recommendations include increasing training opportunities for related professionals, and changing certification requirements to match the current evidence.

Psychophysiological and Eye-Tracking Markers of Speech and Language Processing in Neurodevelopmental Disorders: New Options for Difficult-to-Test Populations.

It can be challenging to accurately assess speech and language processing in preverbal or minimally verbal individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD) using standardized behavioral tools. Event-related potential and eye tracking methods offer novel means to objectively document receptive language processing without requiring purposeful behavioral responses. Working around many of the cognitive, motor, or social difficulties in NDDs, these tools allow for minimally invasive, passive assessment of language processing and generate continuous scores that may have utility as biomarkers of individual differences and indicators of treatment effectiveness. Researchers should consider including physiological measures in assessment batteries to allow for more precise capture of language processing in individuals for whom it may not behaviorally apparent.