ASAT Sponsors Special Issue of Evidence-based Communication Assessment and Intervention on Facilitated Communication and its Variants: Evidence in Context

David Celiberti, PhD, BCBA-D Association for Science in Autism Treatment Communication is a powerful and necessary skill set, particularly for individuals with autism who may face significant challenges in expressing themselves. Fortunately, there are numerous interventions that can help with effective communication; however, not all communication methods are equally valid and scientifically supported. Some methods,…

Art Therapy: Is There Science Behind That?

Stacha C. Leslie, MEd, BCBA, LBA, Breanna Roberts, MA, BCBA, LBA, and Thomas Zane, PhD, BCBA-D Department of Applied Behavioral Science, University of Kansas Deficits in social-emotional development, motor skills, and sensory regulation are highlighted as potential challenges faced by individuals with autism (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Several alternative treatments and therapies have been developed…

The Son-Rise Program®: Is There Science Behind That?

Stacha C. Leslie, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA, Catherine L. McHugh, MA, BCBA, LBA, and Thomas Zane, PhD, BCBA-D Department of Applied Behavioral Science, University of Kansas Treatment for individuals with autism often involves a multidisciplinary team approach to address all aspects of an individual’s environment. Given this, advancements in autism treatment emphasize the inclusion of primary…

Retraction of Published Research

David Celiberti, PhD, BCBA-D Association for Science in Autism Treatment Frank Cicero, PhD, BCBA, LBA Seton Hall University   retraction NOUN 1. the action of drawing something back or back in. “The pilot retracted the airplane’s landing gear.” 2. a withdrawal of a statement, accusation, or undertaking. “The hospital retracted its job offer after learning…

Some Cautions on the Exclusive Use of Standardized Assessments in Recovery-Oriented Treatment

By Eric Larsson, PhD, LP, BCBA-D  Association for Science in Autism Treatment A common practice in clinical research is to obtain norm-referenced, standardized assessments for pre- and post-testing. This practice should be employed only very cautiously for a variety of reasons. These reasons include basic experimental design concerns and the theoretical assumptions underlying the construction…

Interventions for Individuals on the Autism Spectrum and How Best to Evaluate their Effectiveness

Written by Bob LaRue, PhD, BCBA-D Associate Director of Behavioral and Research Services Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center, Rutgers University & Amy Hansford, BA Autism is a complex disorder characterized by significant deficits in social reciprocity and communicative ability as well as the presence of repetitive behavior/restricted interests. Given the heterogeneous nature of autism, many interventions…

Making Sense of Autism Treatments: Weighing the Evidence

Before evaluating any content found on the ASAT website, please read this article by Sense About Science. Sense About Science has produced a guide to help people to query the status of science and research reported in the media. The guide details how peer reviewed articles like the ones we offer below are checked and published. Choosing…