Jennifer Ninci

Interrater Agreement Between Visual Analysts of Single-Case Data: A Meta-Analysis

Visual analysis is the most widely applied method of data interpretation for single-case research as it encompasses multifaceted considerations relevant to evaluating behavior change. However, a previous research synthesis found low levels of interrater agreement between visually analyzed ratings of graphed data across all variables under analysis. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the peer-reviewed literature to date for potential moderators affecting the proportion of interrater agreement between visual analysts. Nineteen articles with 32 effects were assembled. Potential moderators evaluated included (a) design families, (b) rater expertise, (c) the provision of contextual information for graphs, (d) the use of visual aids, (e) the provision of an operational definition of the construct being rated, and (f) rating scale ranges. Results yielded an overall weighted interrater agreement proportion of .76. Moderator variables identified produced low to adequate levels of interrater agreement. Practical recommendations for future research are discussed.

Effects of antecedent exercise on academic engagement and stereotypy during instruction

Antecedent physical exercise has emerged as a potentially promising treatment for reducing challenging behavior and increasing academic behavior in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of physical exercise conducted prior to instructional sessions (antecedent physical exercise) on academic engagement and stereotypy during instructional sessions for two children diagnosed with ASD. Functional analysis results suggested stereotypy was maintained by automatic reinforcement for both participants. A multielement design was employed to evaluate academic engagement and stereotypy during instructional sessions following randomly sequenced conditions involving either (a) no antecedent exercise, (b) brief durations of antecedent exercise, or (c) antecedent exercise that continued until the participant engaged in a systematically determined behavioral indicator of satiation. Both participants demonstrated higher levels of academic engagement and reduced levels of stereotypy during the instructional sessions which followed antecedent physical exercise that continued until behavioral indicators of satiation occurred. This study replicates previous research suggesting that individuals with ASD may benefit from physical exercise prior to academic instruction and further suggests that the duration of antecedent exercise may be optimally individualized based on behavioral indicators of satiation.

Pre-Session Satiation as a Treatment for Stereotypy During Group Activities

Individuals with developmental disabilities may engage in automatically reinforced behaviors that may interfere with learning opportunities. Manipulation of motivating operations has been shown to reduce automatically maintained behavior in some individuals. Considering behavioral indicators of satiation may assist in identifying the point at which an abolishing operation has begun to effect behavior. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of pre-session satiation of automatic reinforcement on subsequent levels of stereotypy and activity engagement during group activities for three males ages 5 to 13 years with developmental disabilities. Following functional analyses with analogue conditions, an alternating treatment design compared a pre-session access to stereotypy condition with a no-pre-session access condition prior to group activity sessions. Results indicated that pre-session satiation of the putative reinforcer produced by stereotypy was effective in decreasing stereotypy and increasing activity engagement during subsequent group activities for all participants. These findings add to the literature supporting the effectiveness of abolishing operations to decrease automatically maintained stereotypy.

The effects of video modeling in teaching functional living skills to persons with ASD: A meta-analysis of single-case studies.

BACKGROUNDnMany individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) show deficits in functional living skills, leading to low independence, limited community involvement, and poor quality of life. With development of mobile devices, utilizing video modeling has become more feasible for educators to promote functional living skills of individuals with ASD.nnnAIMSnThis article aims to review the single-case experimental literature and aggregate results across studies involving the use of video modeling to improve functional living skills of individuals with ASD.nnnMETHODS AND PROCEDURESnThe authors extracted data from single-case experimental studies and evaluated them using the Tau-U effect size measure. Effects were also differentiated by categories of potential moderators and other variables, including age of participants, concomitant diagnoses, types of video modeling, and outcome measures.nnnOUTCOMES AND RESULTSnResults indicate that video modeling interventions are overall moderately effective with this population and dependent measures. While significant differences were not found between categories of moderators and other variables, effects were found to be at least moderate for most of them.nnnCONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONSnIt is apparent that more single-case experiments are needed in this area, particularly with preschool and secondary-school aged participants, participants with ASD-only and those with high-functioning ASD, and for video modeling interventions addressing community access skills.

An Evaluation of the Quality of Research on Evidence-Based Practices for Daily Living Skills for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

This study presents a literature review of interventions for improving daily living skills of individuals with ASD. This review investigated the quality of the design and evidence of the literature base and determined the state of the evidence base related to interventions for improving daily living skills of individuals with ASD. Included studies were evaluated to determine the overall quality of the evidence for each design within each article, based on the What Works Clearinghouse standards for single-case experimental design (Kratochwill et al. 2010), adapted by Maggin et al. (Remedial Spec Educ 34(1):44–58, 2013. doi:10.1177/0741932511435176). As a result, video modeling was found to be an evidence-based practice. Limitations and implications for future research and for practitioners are discussed.

Evaluating the Accuracy of Results for Teacher Implemented Trial-Based Functional Analyses

Trial-based functional analysis (TBFA) allows for the systematic and experimental assessment of challenging behavior in applied settings. The purposes of this study were to evaluate a professional development package focused on training three Head Start teachers to conduct TBFAs with fidelity during ongoing classroom routines. To assess the accuracy of the TBFA results, the effects of a function-based intervention derived from the TBFA were compared with the effects of a non-function-based intervention. Data were collected on child challenging behavior and appropriate communication. An A-B-A-C-D design was utilized in which A represented baseline, and B and C consisted of either function-based or non-function-based interventions counterbalanced across participants, and D represented teacher implementation of the most effective intervention. Results showed that the function-based intervention produced greater decreases in challenging behavior and greater increases in appropriate communication than the non-function-based intervention for all three children.

Training Head Start Teachers to Conduct Trial-Based Functional Analysis of Challenging Behavior.

Trial-based functional analysis (TBFA) is a procedure for experimentally identifying the function of challenging behavior within applied settings. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a TBFA teacher-training package in the context of two Head Start centers implementing programwide positive behavior support (PWPBS). Four Head Start teachers were trained in TBFA procedures as part of ongoing technical assistance on individualized behavior supports. Following training and performance feedback, all teachers were able to implement TBFA with 100% fidelity during simulation probes. With minimal additional coaching, teachers implemented TBFA sessions with a child in their classroom with 100% fidelity. Implications for future research and for the use of TBFA in early childhood settings are presented.

A Systematic Review of Parent-Implemented Functional Communication Training for Children With ASD

Supporting parents in reducing challenging behavior of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) requires the identification of effective, feasible, and sustainable interventions. Functional communication training (FCT) is one of the most well-established interventions in the behavioral literature and is used increasingly by parents. However, there is a need for additional evaluation of the literature related to parent-implemented FCT. In the present review, we identified 26 peer-reviewed studies on parent-implemented FCT. We conducted systematic descriptive and social validity analyses to summarize the extant literature. Across studies, parent-implemented FCT was effective in reducing child challenging behavior, and in some cases, intervention outcomes maintained and generalized to novel settings and implementers. However, few studies reported fidelity data on parent implementation of FCT, and data regarding sustained use of FCT by parents were limited. Results of the social validity analysis indicate that while FCT is often implemented by natural change agents in typical settings, parent training is often provided by professionals not typically accessible to parents. These findings suggest that future research is warranted in the areas of parent training and long-term sustainability of parent-implemented FCT.

A meta-analysis of single-case research on the use of tablet-mediated interventions for persons with ASD

BACKGROUNDnThere is a growing amount of single-case research literature on the benefits of tablet-mediated interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). With the development of tablet-based computers, tablet-mediated interventions have been widely utilized for education and treatment purposes; however, the overall quality and evidence of this literature-base are unknown.nnnAIMSnThis article aims to present a quality review of the single-case experimental literature and aggregate results across studies involving the use of tablet-mediated interventions for individuals with ASD.nnnMETHODS AND PROCEDURESnUsing the Tau nonoverlap effect size measure, the authors extracted data from single-case experimental studies and calculated effect sizes differentiated by moderator variables. The moderator variables included the ages of participants, participants diagnoses, interventions, outcome measures, settings, and contexts.nnnOUTCOMES AND RESULTSnResults indicate that tablet-mediated interventions for individuals with ASD have moderate to large effect sizes across the variables evaluated. The majority of research in this review used tablets for video modeling and augmentative and alternative communication.nnnCONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONSnTo promote the usability of tablet-mediated interventions for individuals with ASD, this review indicates that more single-case experimental studies should be conducted with this population in naturalistic home, community, and employment settings.

Teaching Parents to Implement Functional Communication Training for Young Children With Developmental Delays

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of parent training on parent implementation of functional communication training (FCT) in the trained routine and in a novel routine. Three young children with developmental delays and their parents participated. A multiple-probe across parent-child dyads was used to evaluate the impact of parent training on parent fidelity of FCT. The data indicated that verbal and written instructions with performance feedback resulted in accurate implementation of FCT during the trained routine. The generalization assessment suggested that instructions and performance feedback promoted generalization for one parent and an additional training component was needed for another parent. The third parent did not complete the generalization assessment. The results suggest verbal and written instructions and performance feedback can lead to accurate implementation of FCT during the trained routine, but additional training components may be necessary to facilitate generalization to a novel routine.