Quantitative Analysis of Sexuality and Relationship Education in Inclusive Higher Education: Brief Report.

Inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs support adults with intellectual disabilities' participation in higher education. Students in IPSE programs may have limited knowledge of sexuality, relationships, and social skills, which can be addressed through sexuality and relationship education (SRE). This project evaluated the effect of the Positive Choices© curriculum on the SRE knowledge of 7 students attending an IPSE program in the southeastern United States. Students attended 15 weekly classes taught by two graduate assistants and faculty supervisor during spring 2020; half of course meetings occurred in person and half via Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions. The authors analyzed results of pre-post one sample t-test of student scores on five instructor-created assessments. All students showed statistically significant increases in knowledge for each assessment and overall. Future research should assess the effect of other curricula in use in IPSE programs and evaluate the need for and use of supplemental materials for instruction.

Recommendations for Diversifying Racial and Ethnic Representation in Autism Intervention Research: A Crossover Review of Recruitment and Retention Practices in Pediatric Mental Health.

Disparities in diagnosis and access to healthcare and therapeutic services are well-documented for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from minoritized races and ethnicities, but there is little empirical research to guide the selection and implementation of interventions and practices that will effectively support racially/ethnically diverse children with ASD and their families. This cross-over systematic review summarizes parent-mediated intervention research of children with or at risk for mental health disorders to identify potentially effective recruitment and retention strategies for diverse participants in parent-mediated intervention research for children with autism. Electronic database keyword, lead author name searches in PyschNet, MEDLINE, and ancestral searches were conducted to identify 68 relevant articles that used experimental designs to evaluate the effects of parent-mediated interventions on children with or at risk for mental health disorders. Articles were coded for participant demographics; intervention setting and type, recruitment and retention strategies, cultural adaptation of intervention, and reported attrition. Findings are discussed and applied to practices in autism parent-mediated intervention research. Suggestions for future research and limitations are discussed.

Parent-Implemented Behavior Interventions via Telehealth for Older Children and Adolescents.

Children and adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are more likely to engage in challenging and interfering behavior than their typically developing peers, which has been linked to many negative outcomes. The most effective interventions to address challenging and interfering behavior incorporate function-based assessments, which are used to develop individualized behavior interventions. Functional communication training (FCT) is an evidence-based practice to decrease challenging and interfering behavior that can be taught to parents using behavioral parent training (BPT); however, there are limited skilled professionals who can develop interventions and train parents. Telehealth can enable greater access to these professionals. This study used withdrawal designs to determine whether high parent treatment fidelity resulted in decreased challenging and interfering behavior and increased appropriate replacement behavior. Three participants (8-17 years) were included in the study, and their parents served as interventionists during mealtime, toothbrushing, and room cleaning. Data were analyzed using visual analysis. Each parent achieved high treatment fidelity with one session of BPT and bug-in-ear coaching. All participants had a decrease in challenging and interfering behavior and an increase in functional communication responses (FCRs) upon the introduction of the intervention with reliable reversals. All parents reported high social validity. Results and implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication for Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disability: A Mega-Review of the Literature.

Establishing evidence- and research-based practices relies upon research synthesis of individual studies in reviews and meta analyses. Further summarizing scientific evidence about a specific topic by synthesizing reviews is an area of need to determine practices that have a strong evidence base and to identify areas of methodological weakness and gaps in the literature. A mega-review of literature reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses on interventions using aided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities from 2000 to mid-2020 was conducted. Participant and interventionist demographics, interventions, settings, outcomes, and recommendations of each review were reported and summarized. A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews Revised (AMSTAR 2; Shea et al., 2017) was used to examine the methodological rigor of 84 included reviews. Over the past 20 years, published reviews have increased slightly in methodological rigor but demonstrate a number of methodological weaknesses that detract from the strength of evidence for AAC interventions with this population. Suggestions for improving the methodological rigor of literature reviews and areas for future research specific to AAC interventions are discussed.

Sustaining Personal Activism: Behavior Analysts as Antiracist Accomplices.

One pervasive social issue that has received little attention within the behavior-analytic community is racism and the systemic oppression of Black, Indigenous, and non-Black people of color. The present article offers guidance and examples of how each of us as behavior analysts might build individualized self-management behavior change plans that support initiating and sustaining socially significant antiracism work as we move from allies to accomplices within our own sphere of influence. This article introduces the concept of self-managed antiracism behavior change plans that (a) operationally define antiracist action using measurable outcomes and strategies for data collection on specific antiracist and support actions, (b) provide choices to improve engagement and reduce barriers to adherence, and (c) use effective behavioral interventions to alter the availability of discriminative stimuli or reduce their influence, and increase the availability of reinforcers that are compatible with the goal of the behavior change plan for increasing antiracism behavior and dismantling structures perpetuating racial inequities.

Orange is the New Asylum: Incarceration of Individuals with Disabilities.

Individuals with disabilities and/or mental health concerns were historically removed from society and placed in institutions and asylums. Advocacy groups, drawing on civil rights movements, protested and lobbied for deinstitutionalization and increased inclusion of disabled individuals in schools and communities (Chapman et al., 2014). Although disabled individuals have more rights and access than ever before, they are still segregated in schools, encounter the judicial system more often, and are murdered by police (Reingle Gonzalez et al. in Journal of Disability Policy Studies 27:106-115, 2016). We examine the history and ongoing incarceration of individuals with differences in the United States by analyzing contextual variables, as well as systemic inequities, including the school-to-prison pipeline, access to services, and prison infrastructure. We offer resources and actionable ways for behavior analysts to begin antiracist and anti-disableist work, apply principles of behavior analysis to address personal and systemic racism, and engage in advocacy toward a more just and equitable future for all.

Understanding Barriers to Access and Utilization of Developmental Disability Services Facilitating Transition.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the barriers faced by parents of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities when obtaining and using Developmental Disability Services (DDS) to support adolescent transition. METHODS: The authors conducted a basic interpretive qualitative study using semistructured interviews. Interviews were manually coded by the team of university-based researchers using constant comparative analysis. The codes were grouped into themes. Thematic saturation occurred after 18 interviews with parents (n = 10) and service coordinators for DDS (n = 8). RESULTS: Barriers to DDS enrollment included emotional and administrative burden, fear of invasion of privacy, lack of a qualifying diagnosis, difficulties in accessing information about services, and misinformation about services. Barriers to DDS use once enrolled were difficulty in finding/hiring direct support professionals, high turnover of direct support professionals, and lack of training and skill among direct support professionals. Participants also noted high turnover among service coordinators, further administrative burden from hiring direct support professionals, and required home visits by service coordinators as additional barriers to service use. Participants reported benefits of DDS including increased inclusion for clients in the community, the use of person-centered skill building, and access to respite care and system navigation support. CONCLUSION: Although all participants reported benefits of acquiring services, there are significant barriers to acquiring and maintaining these services. Recommendations based on these barriers are provided for DDS, federal policy makers, and local support professionals along with a toolkit of potential strategies to support families.

Language Preference of a Multilingual Individual With Disabilities Using a Speech Generating Device.

Individuals with disabilities who are English learners (ELs) and communicate using speech generating devices (SGDs) may demonstrate a preference for instructional language and language output of their SGDs. The influence of interventionist language on the preference of SGD language output and frequency of mands was examined using an alternating-treatments design with an embedded concurrent-chain arrangement with a 10-year-old with Down syndrome whose heritage language was Spanish. Language preference assessment for ELs is recommended because heritage language may be preferred for children with disabilities who use SGDs.

Employing a Fixed-Lean Multiple Schedule in the Treatment of Challenging Behavior for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Despite its utility, there is limited applied research on employing fixed-lean (FL) schedules of reinforcement in treatment packages to address challenging behavior. One potential reason is that abrupt shifts to terminal schedules of reinforcement have been associated with immediate increases in challenging behavior before subsiding to clinically acceptable levels. The purpose of the present study was to (a) provide evidence demonstrating the utility of a FL multiple schedule (MS) in the treatment of challenging behavior in applied settings, (b) examine the potential effects of alternative stimuli on challenging behavior during a FL MS, and (c) assess the social validity of this treatment package with participants and caregivers. The results of this study showed low levels of challenging behavior and discriminated mands during the FL MS, but no evidence to support the inclusion of alternative stimuli. In addition, caregivers of both participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the treatment package. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed.

Self-Injurious Behavior in Children With Developmental Disabilities: A Systematic Review of Behavioral Intervention Literature.

We reviewed single-case research studies examining the effects of behavioral interventions for self-injurious behavior (SIB) in young children with autism and developmental disabilities. Systematic searches of electronic databases, journals, and reference lists identified 46 studies (66 participants younger than the age of 12) meeting inclusion criteria. Studies were examined based on (a) participant demographics, (b) topography and function of SIB, (c) type of functional behavior assessment (FBA), (d) intervention procedures and outcomes, and (e) experimental design and measurement. Intervention strategies were categorized as antecedent manipulations, teaching behavior, consequence-based procedures, and/or extinction procedures. Positive outcomes were reported for 78% of participants in the reviewed studies and 88% of the participants were diagnosed with autism. Results suggest the effectiveness of behavioral interventions to decrease SIB for young children with disabilities; however, the frequent use of packaged interventions without component analysis limits the conclusiveness of any treatment recommendation. Suggestions for future research are discussed.

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. Novel unscripted initiations, responses, and appropriate changes in topics during peer-to-peer exchanges were analyzed by considering the cumulative frequency of these behaviors across phases of the study. Treatment gains were maintained during 4-week follow-up sessions. Results are discussed in terms of recommendations for practitioners, response variability, and potential future avenues of research.