Changes to the DSM Autism Diagnostic Criteria

By Leanne Tull, BCBA The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) debuted at the American Psychiatric Association (APA) annual meeting in May 2013. Since the publication of DSM-I in 1952, a standard review process has led to revised DSM editions over the past two decades. Advances in neurology, genetics,…

EIBI in Community Settings: Public Preschool and Kindergarten

  Eikeseth, S., Klintwall, L., Jahr, E., & Karlsson, P. (2012). Outcomes for children with autism receiving early and intensive behavioral intervention in mainstream preschool and kindergarten settings. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2, 829-835. doi: 10.1016/j.rasd.2011.09.002 Reviewed by: Casey L. Nottingham Caldwell University Why review this topic? Early and intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) is…

ASD Intervention: How Do We Measure Effectiveness?

By Daniel W. Mruzek, PhD, BCBA-D University of Rochester Marketers of purported interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), whether they are pills, devices, or exercises, claim that their products are effective. As proof, they point to any number of measures: some valid, some questionable, and some potentially misleading. Given that many of these “treatments” may…

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…

Resources for Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice

by Kate Fiske, PhD, BCBA-D Though many parents and professionals recognize the importance of implementing evidence-based practices for children with autism, they may struggle with identifying resources that offer practical strategies for implementing these practices. The National Professional Development Center (NPDC) on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has compiled a series of briefs on 24 evidence-based…

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…

About Media Watch

David Celiberti, PhD, BCBA-D and Erin Leif, PhD, BCBA-D Association for Science in Autism Treatment ASAT is a science-based organization, and part of our mission is to educate the public about effective autism treatment and to improve the accuracy with which autism and its treatment are portrayed in the media. We do the latter by…

Productive Meetings in Home ABA Programs

I am a parent who has a home-based ABA program. We are fortunate to hold monthly meetings with all of the providers that work with my child. I am looking for some ideas on how to make the most of these meetings. Any suggestions? Answered by Preeti Chojar ASAT Parent Board Member It is terrific…