A Systematic Approach to Explore the Rigor of Applied Behavioral Pharmacology Research
AbstractApplied behavioral pharmacology explores how drugs may influence problem behavior in persons with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD). A comprehensive review was conducted featuring single-case experimental designs in the domain of applied behavioral pharmacology to evaluate and report on study quality. Studies included in the review featured participants with a diagnosis of IDD, with problem behavior as the intervention target, and who were receiving psychotropic medications to address problem behavior. Fifty-five articles met criteria and were scored using a 20-item literature-informed Quality Indicat...
Source: Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - August 26, 2023 Category: Child Development Source Type: research

A Systematic and Quality Review of Augmentative and Alternative Communication Interventions that use Core Vocabulary
AbstractCore vocabulary is defined as “lexical items that are accepted as being central and indispensable to language use” (Bell,2012, p. 1). Use of core vocabulary is common amongst professionals who teach augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to individuals with disabilities. Although the use of AAC is often classified as an evidence-based practice (EBP) (Steinbrenner et al.,2020; Wong et al.,Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders,45(7), 1951 –1966,2015) an analysis of the relevant intervention procedures as well as the vocabulary used is often missing from syntheses of the literature. Therefore, ...
Source: Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - August 18, 2023 Category: Child Development Source Type: research

Dialogic Reading Effect on Communicative Initiations and Responses for Children with Autism: a Systematic Review
AbstractDialogic reading (DR) is an evidence-based interactive shared reading intervention. This systematic review investigated the effect of DR interventions on the communicative initiations and responses of children with autism, an area of great difficulty for most individuals with autism. More precisely, the paper aimed to (a) describe the characteristics of DR interventions, (b) evaluate the outcomes and effectiveness of DR interventions, and (c) synthesize the quality of the studies. Nine experimental studies were included in the review in which the original DR intervention or adapted versions of it were examined. All...
Source: Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - August 16, 2023 Category: Child Development Source Type: research

The Use of Caregiver-Implemented Visual Supports for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities: A Systematic Literature Review
AbstractChildren with developmental disabilities often have difficulty completing complex multistep tasks, such as daily living skills or leisure and play skills, which often occur in children ’s homes. The use of visual supports can increase the predictability of routines and clarify behavioral expectations for children with developmental disabilities. Thus, increasing the likelihood that these children will independently engage in these complex tasks. Caregivers are important stakehol ders, especially when it comes to interventions that occur in the family home. Therefore, it is important for researchers to continue to...
Source: Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - August 11, 2023 Category: Child Development Source Type: research

A Systematic Literature Review of the Patterns of School-Home Communication Among Caregivers of Children with Autism
AbstractDespite the importance of caregiver involvement in special education, research examining school-home communication among families of children with autism has only begun to emerge in recent years. Further, it is unclear how caregivers of children with autism perceive the impact of the different dimensions of communication on family-professional partnerships and child outcomes. In this systematic literature review, we examined 25 studies about school-home communication. Overwhelmingly, caregivers report the need for frequent, honest, and open communication with the school. Moreover, family-professional partnerships a...
Source: Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - August 2, 2023 Category: Child Development Source Type: research

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Concise Systematic Review
(Source: Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders)
Source: Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - July 28, 2023 Category: Child Development Source Type: research

Caregiver-Implemented AAC Interventions for Children with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities: a Systematic Review
AbstractMany children with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities benefit from augmentative and alternative communication strategies (AAC) to increase their communicative competency. Furthermore, caregiver-implemented AAC interventions are an effective and efficient strategy to improve communication outcomes. We reviewed the caregiver-implemented AAC intervention literature to assess child and caregiver characteristics, what kind of interventions caregivers were taught, how caregivers were trained, and how studies evaluated caregiver implementation. We found that families from marginalized backgrounds were underrep...
Source: Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - July 28, 2023 Category: Child Development Source Type: research

The Effectiveness of Telemedicine in Coaching Parents of Autistic Children Using Naturalistic Developmental Early Interventions: a Rapid Review
AbstractEvidence on the effectiveness of telemedicine in coaching parents of autistic children using naturalistic developmental early interventions is limited. This review aimed to examine the literature on the effectiveness of telemedicine on children ’s social communication following parent-mediated naturalistic developmental early interventions. A total of nine studies were identified. Intervention characteristics, outcomes, and research quality were assessed. Findings suggest insufficient evidence for the effectiveness of telemedicine on chi ld social communication. All the included studies were at high risk of bias ...
Source: Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - July 24, 2023 Category: Child Development Source Type: research

Telehealth-Delivered Supports for Daily Living Skills for Autistic Children: a Systematic Review
AbstractThe global prevalence of autism has increased markedly in recent years, resulting in a surge in demand for services. Telehealth interventions offer an alternative to traditional service delivery, however, research is needed to examine the effectiveness of telehealth-delivered interventions for daily living skills (DLS; e.g., sleeping, eating, personal hygiene). This review summarized and appraised 17 studies investigating the effectiveness and social validity of telehealth-delivered behavioral interventions (TDBIs) for DLS for autistic children. Most interventions were parent-implemented with clinician coaching via...
Source: Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - July 20, 2023 Category: Child Development Source Type: research

Caregiver-Implemented Feeding Interventions for Autistic Children with Food Selectivity: a Systematic Review
AbstractCaregiver-led interventions have been implemented to improve food selectivity in autistic children. This systematic review assesses the meaningfulness of improvements in food, behaviour, and family outcomes, alongside the acceptability of said interventions. Four key academic databases were searched using key terms related to autism, food selectivity, and parent-led interventions. Thirsty-six studies were reviewed and improvements in food outcomes were reported in all studies, but it was unclear how meaningful this was for the child ’s nutritional status. In addition, it was difficult to draw meaningful conclusio...
Source: Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - July 18, 2023 Category: Child Development Source Type: research

Family Processes and the Emotional and Behavioural Well-being of Autistic Children and Youth: A Systematic Review of Prospective Studies
AbstractEmotional and behavioural difficulties including depression, anxiety, and hyperactivity are elevated in autistic children (AC). Family processes of a psychological nature are associated with these difficulties, but the direction of influence is uncertain. We searched seven bibliographic databases for prospective,  quantitative studies on the impact of family processes across the parent, dyad, and family system levels on the later well-being of AC without intellectual disability, across a minimum of six months. Eligible studies were extracted following PRISMA guidelines and narratively synthesised. Sixteen o f the ...
Source: Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - July 11, 2023 Category: Child Development Source Type: research

Autistic People and Telehealth Practice During the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Scoping Review
AbstractRestrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated changes to health and social care services, including the use of telehealth. Prior to COVID-19, there was interest in telehealth for autistic people; however, little is known about its use during the pandemic. This scoping review focused on telehealth for autistic people during the pandemic. It was pre-registered on PROSPERO, and the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews was followed. Ten databases identified 45 sources, which were categorised into two themes: (1) the nature of the shift to telehealth during the pandemic and (2) service evaluations. Large disrup...
Source: Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - July 8, 2023 Category: Child Development Source Type: research

A Systematic Review to Move Australian Disability Employment Forward for Autistic People
AbstractThe current Disability Employment Service (DES) model serving autistic job seekers in Australia will end in the year 2023. The Australian Government is exploring new options for a replacement model. Aiding these efforts a systematic review of the literature examined the evidence base of effective assisted employment supports for autistic people in Australia. Using PRISMA guidelines, of 1839 search results, eight papers met inclusion criteria concerning: (a) autistic individuals, (b) assisted employment in Australia, (c) enablers to employment gain or retention, and (d) original evidence. All effective activities re...
Source: Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - July 3, 2023 Category: Child Development Source Type: research

Relation Between Sensory Processing Difficulties and Feeding Problems in Youths with Autistic Spectrum Disorders: a Comprehensive Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
AbstractSensory processing difficulties are worth exploring in youths with ASD and feeding problems considering their high frequency and therapeutic potential. To synthesize prior knowledge and discrepancies between studies, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. The quality of the 16 reviewed studies was regarded as moderate. The association between sensory processing difficulties in all modalities and problematic eating behaviors was not statistically significant. Oral sensory processing difficulties were associated with food refusal (SMD  =  − 0.88,p = 0.04) and all types of problematic eati...
Source: Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - June 16, 2023 Category: Child Development Source Type: research

Narrative Review of a Link Between Proposed Maladaptive Daydreaming (MD) and Reports of Motor Stereotypy in Autism Spectrum Disorder
AbstractMotor stereotypy is a type of repetitive motor behavior frequently occurring in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Individuals with maladaptive daydreaming (MD) report repetitive motor behavior associated with addictive and immersive daydreaming. Many autistic self-advocates report symptoms of MD. Motor stereotypy in ASD is associated with lower cognitive and adaptive functioning; yet, research has not thoroughly examined the relationship between MD and ASD. The purpose of this commentary is to briefly summarize the potential overlap between ASD and MD and highlight similarities and differences between the two. This a...
Source: Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - June 15, 2023 Category: Child Development Source Type: research