Presentation Abstracts
OAR’s Eighth Annual Applied Autism Research and Intervention Conference
Dennis Reid, Ph.D., BCBA
Staff Training and Retention
This presentation will summarize what research and application have shown to represent evidence-based ways to train critical job skills to support staff working with people who have autism. Ways to motivate staff to enhance their work enjoyment and promote job retention will likewise be presented. An example of evidence-based staff training will be provided through a summary of the 2008 OAR-funded research project on assessing and improving teaching proficiency among staff working in a one-to-one capacity with individuals with autism.
Ivy Feldman, Ph.D., BCBA, and Mary Jane Weiss, Ph.D., BCBA
Teaching Outside the Box: Breaking through Barriers to Help Develop Essential Skills
Learners with autism present very unique challenges, and often present as more different from one another than they are similar to each other. The ways in which social, communicative, and behavioral challenges are manifested are exceedingly variable. Furthermore, responsiveness to intervention can be highly variable. Such individual manifestations of core symptoms and such idiosyncratic responses to interventions require highly individualized assessment and treatment. These issues will be discussed in the context of an intervention designed to teach joint attention and commenting skills to children who are non-vocal communicators. We will discuss how to move outside the boxes that limit our teaching contexts and prevent us from generalizing skills. Special attention will be paid to the selection of target skills, to the selection of primary and alternative teaching strategies, and to the evaluation of mastery.
Emily H. Callahan, Ph.D., and Rachel Straub Cavalari, M.S.
Preparing Staff to Provide Services to Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Community-Based Residences
The purpose of this presentation is to review the development and implementation of a curriculum designed to educate direct care and supervisory staff who are providing services for adolescents and adults with ASD in community-based residences. In addition to the typical behavior management components, topics covered in the curriculum include: stress management for clients and staff, relationship development, anxiety management, privacy, safety, and independence. The design, implementation and dissemination of the curriculum content and materials will be presented. The use of innovative technology for distance learning to support service delivery sites across the state will also be discussed.
Rebecca MacDonald, Ph.D., BCBA, and
William Ahearn, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Teaching Individuals with Autism Using Video Modeling
Video modeling is an effective and efficient instructional technique for many children with autism. There are, however, some children who do not learn using video modeling. It appears that memory may play an important role in learning using video modeling. The purpose of this OAR-sponsored research was to examine the prerequisites for video modeling. Our findings suggest that the most significant predictor of learning using video modeling was, in fact, performance on the delayed imitation tasks followed by performance on delayed matching-to-sample tasks. Interestingly, attending to a video was the worst predictor of performance on the video modeling task. This suggests that attending to a video may be a necessary skill but it is not sufficient for producing learning via video modeling. In summary, these data suggest that successive discrimination skills or remembering may be critically important for learning through video modeling.
Valerie Paradiz, Ph.D.
Supporting the Emerging Self-Advocate with ASD: The Integrated Self-Advocacy ISA® Curriculum
Individuals with autism often receive limited support in understanding their condition. Knowing the diagnosis is a first step, but for some, conveying such information might not be possible due to cognitive differences.Nonetheless, children and young adults can learn skills in identifying their social and sensory needs. They can also learn strategies for requesting modifications verbally or by alternative forms of communication, and knowing how and when to disclose their condition. This curriculum provides school personnel with lessons and protocols for person-centered planning and self-advocacy skills teaching. Research data on the ISA® curriculum and examples of evidence-based practice are included.
William Sharp, Ph.D. and David Jaquess, Ph.D.
Assessment and Treatment of Feeding Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Feeding problems occur at high rates among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), with some estimates indicating that disruptions in feeding may be endemic in this population. Researchers, however, have only recently begun to systematically investigate the assessment and treatment of eating difficulties associated with ASD and many questions remain regarding the prevalence, consequences, and remediation of feeding problems in this population. This presentation will provide an overview of the topography, assessment, and behavioral treatment of feeding problems frequently associated with ASD. A tiered approach to intervention will be presented and discussed in relation to home and clinic-based treatment planning, including parent education/consultation, outpatient therapy, and day-treatment/inpatient services.
Patricia Wright, Ph.D., MPH, BCBA
Applying Research to Improve Daily Practice, Individually and Organizationally
Voluminous research studies are published demonstrating effective autism practices. A small self-selected group of professionals read these publications and incorporate this learning into their future research. Unfortunately these published practices rarely reach those providing direct support to individuals with autism. There is a great deal of disparity between individuals with autism being served in the university-based research programs and those in more typical community-based settings. This session will discuss how one national social service agency is attempting to promote evidence-based practices into their daily work. Specific examples of strategies at the individual and organizational level will be provided.
Karen Pierce, Ph.D.
Advances in the Early Identification of Autism
At present, there is a paucity of prospective behavioral and biological data on autism at 12 months of age. The reason for this gap in vital information is because autism remains behaviorally, not biologically, defined and diagnosed and this significantly limits the approaches that can be used for the early identification and study of infants at high risk for the disorder. During this presentation Dr. Pierce will review ongoing studies at the University of California Autism Center of Excellence aimed at discovering an early bio-behavioral signature of autism using a new method called the “1-Year Well-Baby Check-Up Approach.” Dr. Pierce will discuss new behavioral early warning signs of autism such as those relating to a baby’s pattern of eye gaze and/or how he explores his environment as well as abnormal patterns of brain activation as revealed by functional brain imaging. Dr. Pierce’s lecture will conclude with a discussion of the importance of early identification research and future directions.
Paul T. Shattuck, Ph.D.
Outcomes After Leaving High School
Dr. Shattuck is studying what happens as adolescents with autism exit high school and age into young adulthood. Where do they live? What services do they get? Are they in school or employed? Are there racial or socioeconomic disparities in outcomes? Answers to these questions are desperately needed as more and more children with autism are aging towards young adulthood.
Ethan S. Long, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Peggy Halliday, M.Ed., BCBA, and Rorie Hutter, M.S.Ed.
Teaching Emotion Recognition and Expression to Students with Autism to Improve Social Competence
Many individuals with autism have difficulties identifying and expressing a variety of emotions. The lack of social and emotional reciprocity associated with individuals with autism may be particularly difficult for the individual’s loved ones. In addition, a limited ability to recognize and express emotions in both oneself and others may impair one’s ability to initiate and sustain social interactions. This data-based presentation will present a variety of teaching techniques utilized to successfully teach different learners with autism emotional awareness and expression. Further data will be presented on how emotion recognition and expression enhanced social interactions.
Carol Schall, Ph.D.
Supporting Adults with ASD in the Workplace Using Behavior Support
Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is a scientific approach to understanding problem behavior through the multiple lenses of person-centeredness, applied behavior analysis, biomedical intervention, and systems change. Providing PBS for individuals with ASD at work presents challenges related to many factors, such as a limited number of paid support staff and lower tolerance for the time and resources needed for implementation. While the provision of PSB in a workplace presents some challenges, the opportunities to increase the success of individuals with ASD at work outweigh those challenges. This session presents a review of the PBS practices that assist individuals with ASD to become independent at work. Participants will discuss implementation considerations for use in the workplace and review future research recommendations. Finally, this session will include the presentation of case studies exemplifying the provision of PBS in a work setting.
Christina Whalen, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Increasing Student Motivation and Skill Acquisition via Computer-Assisted Instruction
Several studies support the use of computers to improve acquisition of receptive language and academic skills, as well as some social skills. In addition, studies show that computers can increase motivation and positive social skills such as improved affect, looking at others, spontaneous commenting, and joint attention. TeachTown: Basics, an evidence-based computer-assisted program designed to meet the needs of children with special needs, has been shown to be effective in improving language, cognitive, academic, and social skills in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. In addition, studies have shown improved motivation and social interaction with adults while using the computer. TeachTown: Basics is appropriate for ages 2-7 years developmentally and includes computer lessons based on the science of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), automated data collection on the child’s progress as well as data on how often the program is being used and who is working with the child at home and at school, a note system for keeping everyone on the child’s team up to date on the child’s program, motivating reward games and cartoons as reinforcers, and off-computer activities to improve generalization and to target skills not included on the computer (e.g. play and motor skills). Animated characters are included as role models to teach skills and keep the child engaged. Several research studies on motivation and skill acquisition will be overviewed and the program will be demonstrated including video clips of students using the program.
Lawrence Sutton, Ph.D.
When Young Adults with ASD Interact with the Criminal Justice System - Needs and Emerging Interventions
Juveniles and young adults with autism spectrum disorders are being arrested and prosecuted, although most of these individuals do not appear to be able to adequately defend themselves, either to explain their actions or to deny involvement in such actions. Executive functioning impairment and limitations, among other issues, have made identification and treatment of these individuals even more complicated. This presentation will outline a sample of individuals with ASD who have been convicted of crimes including matters of sexual harm, stalking, and a capital offense. Issues leading up to their arrest and convictions will also be covered. A review of a model program conducted in a non-criminal justice setting will be presented with examples of the “surprises” that were discovered during the first run of the program. To illustrate these findings, attendees will watch a sample of the supplemental videos created to assist with modeling new and replacement behaviors.
Luke Y. Tsai, M.D. F.A.A.C.A.P.
Evidence-based Practice of Medication Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Myths and Facts
Almost all previous survey studies of the use of psychotropic medications in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have found that more than 50% of the studied populations have been given or received at least one kind of psychotropic medication for their ASD. Most caregivers in the studies reported no significant improvement after taking the psychotropic medications. On the other hand, just like the increasing use of psychotropic medications in other types of mental/neuropsychiatric disorders, there appears to have a tendency of increasing use of psychotropic medications in the population with ASD. However, at the present, there are no widely accepted evidence-based guidelines to help consumers decide whether they should take the psychotropic medications recommended by their physicians. This presentation will introduce a new system based on solid research methodologies to assess the evidence-based ranking of the effectiveness of the most commonly used psychotropic medications in ASD to provide some helpful guidelines for caregivers.
Toli Anastassiou, MA, BCBA and Carrie Hennessy, BA
Preparing Your Young Adult with Autism for a Successful Transition to an Adult Day Program
This presentation will look at the key skills that are necessary in preparing a young adult with ASD for transition to an adult day program. Students who have graduated from ABA based programs are likely used to highly individualized, structured programs; however, many day programs are not equipped to continue that level of service. Preparing for success in lower staffing ratios, teaching endurance to sustain employment and addressing functional community based skills are among the examples to be reviewed. Given the growing numbers of individuals requiring adult day services, and mounting funding limitations in adult services, preparing young adults prior to entering this stream is critical for a successful transition for both adult day programs and the individuals we serve.
Stephen Shore, Ed.D., and Zosia Zaks, MS, M.Ed.
Dating on the Autism Spectrum
In this workshop, Stephen and Zosia will discuss issues of importance for those adults on the autism spectrum who are interested in dating, or who may already be in a relationship. What unique issues and challenges do autistic adults face in this area of life? Participants will learn strategies for coping with loneliness, dating successfully, maintaining safe and healthy relationships, and increasing communication and closeness with loved ones.
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