A review of of the website Facilitatedcommunication.org

Written by: Jamaun Willis, MEd, BCBA Endicott College Facilitated communication (FC) is a controversial technique used to assist individuals with severe communication impairments, such as those with autism or other developmental disabilities, in engaging with those around them. With FC, a facilitator provides physical support to the individual by holding their hand or arm, supposedly…

The Crucial Role of Replication in Scientific Validation and Identification of Evidence-based Practices

Russell Lang, PhD, BCBA-D Texas State University Identifying treatment approaches that are reliably effective in addressing the education and support needs of people with autism is challenging. A 2006 survey of 552 parents identified 111 different treatment approaches that were provided to children with autism (Green et al., 2006). The list of treatments ranged from…

Mindfulness: Is There Science Behind That?

Stacha C. Leslie, MEd, BCBA, Breanna Roberts, MA, BCBA, and Thomas Zane, PhD, BCBA-D Department of Applied Behavioral Science, University of Kansas Deficits in social communication and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior are the two diagnostic criteria of autism spectrum disorder that can range in severity – requiring minimal to substantial support (American Psychological Association,…

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…

Standing for Science Takes a Village – An International One

Authors’ Note: We have secured permission to reprint this chapter on international dissemination. Please note that it was written a few years ago and does not reflect our newest efforts and accomplishments with respect to ASAT’s outreach across the globe. The original citation is as follows: Celiberti, D., Sivaraman, M., & Slim, L. (2022). Standing for science…

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…

Advocates and analysts seeking to bridge the gap:
A poet and a scientist-practitioner’s take on the current pushback to ABA

Russell Lehmann, RussL.co and Board Member of The Arc of the United States and Casey Clay PhD, BCBA-D Children’s Hospital of Orange County “Disagreement is the first step toward progress” -Mahatma Gandhi First, we must say upon reading the article, The Mismeasure of Misha, in the Boston Globe in late November our hearts were broken. The…

Focus on the Treatment Team: Speech-Language Therapy

Kate McKenna, MEd, MSEd, MS, BCBA Association for Science in Autism Treatment Lindsay Bly, MS, CCC-SLP Melmark History The science of speech-language pathology in the United States had its roots in the study of elocution, what we now call articulation, for rhetoric debate, and theatre, which had risen to prominence in 18th century England. Several…

Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: Is There Science Behind That?

Catherine L. McHugh, MA, BCBA, LBA, Stacha C. Leslie, MEd, BCBA, LBA, and Thomas Zane, PhD, BCBA-D Department of Applied Behavioral Science, University of Kansas Current empirically supported treatments for autism (e.g., applied behavior analysis, speech therapy, etc.) can be expensive and time consuming for individuals with autism and relevant stakeholders (i.e., caregivers). Given this,…