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Barriers to the Adoption of Behavior Analytic Treatments for Autism |
Saturday, May 25, 2013 |
4:00 PM–4:50 PM |
205 C-D (Convention Center) |
Area: AUT |
Chair: Travis Thompson (University of Minnesota) |
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What Do Those Autism "Experts" Know, Anyway? |
Domain: Service Delivery |
ALICE M. WALKUP (Florida Institute of Technology) |
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Abstract: The uncertainty regarding the cause and specific mechanisms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), in addition to the eagerness for recovery, have created an environment where novel treatment approaches are constantly being developed and marketed toward parents and intervention providers. While many of these methods are well-intentioned, few have the scientific support backing their use with children with autism. Clinicians and researchers have expressed concern about the divide between evidence-based methods and the techniques that providers and parents choose to utilize. In this study, autism service providers from a number of orientations were asked to indicate the perceived level of scientific evidence behind commonly-endorsed interventions. A parent group also completed the survey; the responses of both groups were compared to true efficacy scores. The results of the investigation demonstrate that neither the parent group nor the provider group correctly rated the efficacy of any of the treatments. The provider rankings were consistently more correct than the parent ratings. A notable trend was displayed by the parents’ tendency to rank less-efficacious treatments more highly than the treatments with demonstrated efficacy. The results highlight the ethical responsibility of professionals to stay informed of the current research and share this information with parents. |
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Why Parents Say “No” to Behavioral Autism Interventions and What to Do About It |
Domain: Theory |
TRAVIS THOMPSON (University of Minnesota) |
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Abstract: Parent acceptance and active participation in behavioral interventions for children with autism continues to limit effective involvement of children with autism and their families in early intensive behavioral autism services. Some obstacles involve cultural parental assumptions about the proper nature of parenting, other hurdles arise from misinformation from other providers and the internet, and still other barriers include practical demands on families which may be unrealistic. The main focus of this presentation will be the assumptions behavioral practitioners make about their role in the child’s and family’s lives and the specific strategy for incorporating parents into planning and implementation of services. A behavioral analysis of these barriers and possible solutions will conclude the discussion |
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