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Sarah E. Frampton, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA(NE) University of Nebraska Omaha, Omaha, NE, United States We began this series on external validity with a scenario in which an administrator hears about a new and innovative treatment approach at a conference. The presenters at the conference shared some compelling data supporting the efficacy of the approach. The…
Emily K. Sullivan, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA (NE, NY) University of Rochester Medical Center When reading research articles, it’s easy to focus on whether the treatment in the study “worked.” However, just because research shows that a treatment was effective, it does not mean that a “control, copy, paste” approach in practice would produce the same…
Whitney Trapp, MS, BCBA, LBA (NE) University of Nebraska Medical Center, Munroe-Meyer Institute Research has a direct influence on our daily lives. For instance, when you enter your vehicle, you (hopefully) secure your seatbelt before operating the vehicle. A few decades ago, this was not possible because seatbelts were not a vehicle manufacturing requirement in…
Rebecca J. Barall, MEd, CBIS, BCBA, LBA (NE, IA) University of Nebraska Medical Center, Munroe-Meyer Institute You’ve just read about a promising new intervention for individuals with autism. It’s published in a reputable journal, shows strong results, and seems like it could help someone with autism you care about. But there’s one crucial issue to…
Sarah Connolly, PhD, BCBA-D, ABPP University of Nebraska Medical Center, Munroe-Meyer Institute In the vignette included below, imagine the journey of a parent who is absorbing the news that their child has just been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In an instant, their world shifts—and so does the flood of information that follows. Vignette:…
Sarah Frampton, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA (NE) University of Nebraska Omaha As we have reviewed in our ongoing series on internal validity, researchers make efforts to ensure their studies are carefully designed and rigorously implemented (Frampton, 2024a). Researchers work to avoid threats to their study that may be introduced through faulty measurement tactics (i.e., instrumentation; Jackson…
Shayanne Stenroos and Sara Kupzyk, PhD, LP, BCBA-D University of Nebraska Omaha Have you ever read about a study and wondered if an intervention described in the study made a difference in the outcomes? In this article, we will use an example to describe important factors to consider when assessing internal validity when reviewing studies…
Clara Rangel, BS University of Nebraska Omaha University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute Sarah Frampton, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA University of Nebraska Omaha An individual can be prescribed the most effective, highly evidence-based medicine, but if the medicine is not taken as the doctor directed (i.e., right dose, right time, right frequency), it will not…
Ky Jackson, BS University of Nebraska Omaha University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute Sarah Frampton, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA University of Nebraska Omaha Accurate measurement is essential to assessing the extent to which an intervention is effective, whether that intervention is biomedical, educational, or psychosocial. Unlike other conditions that rely on automated instruments such as…
Catalina Rey, PhD, BCBA-D and Paige O’Neill, MA, BCBA University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute Imagine you have a child with autism who receives multiple services: speech therapy, ABA therapy, and dietary supplements. They have shown significant improvements in skills and other behavior, but you are unsure which service is responsible for their progress. One…
Sarah E. Frampton, PhD, BCBA University of Nebraska Omaha Many events will occur in the busy lives of the participants in a research study. These events may never be known to the researchers and may have limited effect on the outcomes. For example, the child may get a new lunchbox or start using a different…