Association for Behavior Analysis International

The Department of Behavior Analysis and Easter Seals North Texas have collaborated for almost ten years to provide high quality behavioral interventions to underserved children with autism and their families. The purpose of this symposium is to present an overview of the measurement practices of this intervention program at several different levels. The first presentation provides an overview of the treatment setting and current practices in data collection and analysis. These practices would be considered established and emerging procedures for measurement in autism treatment. The second presentation includes a methodological examination of moment-to-moment behaviors during therapeutic sessions. The third presentation involves a study of measurements to assess quality and progression during child and caregiver interactions. The final presentation includes a description of the development of a modified PLA-CHECK system for observation of groups of children and adults in the treatment centers. A senior researcher in behavior analysis, experienced in applied and translational research, discusses these data practices within the context of practice and research.

For almost ten years, Easter Seals North Texas Autism Treatment Program (ESNT-ATP) in partnership with the University of North Texas, has strived to find pathways to provide quality services to underserved families. In the State of Texas, funding options for ABA services are limited and fragmented. In 2008, ESNT-ATP was one recipient of a state grant to provide comprehensive, evidence-based services to underserved children and families; however, recent shifts in state funding for autism intervention have limited access to Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) for families living in poverty. This has lead ESNT-ATP to find new intervention pathways to effective interventions for traditionally underserved families. The determination of effectiveness lies in the efficiency, validity, and reliability of our measurement tools. An overview of each level of ESNT-ATP measurement is provided in this presentation: child progress, teacher performance, group engagement, and program outcomes. The measurement strategies are discussed in the context of providing effective and compassionate services under conditions of increasing resource restrictions.

This presentation will provide an overview of measures used to quantify the quality of adult-child interactions within the daily living activities of meal and play times. Specifically, this presentation will describe measures used within two daily living programs that focus on improving the overall social relationships and adaptive skills of children with autism. Yummy Starts is a focused program for children between the ages of two and nine that addresses positive behaviors related to food and the social milieu of mealtimes. Sunny Starts is a parent training program that focuses on enhancing the quality of family relationships for children ages three to five through play activities. In both contexts, learn units, child success in targeted goal areas, and synchronous engagement were measured. This combination of measures allows assessment of both progress and indicators of relationship happiness. Such measures may help behavior analysts better analyze the quality of life and social relationships for children with autism and their families across home and community settings.