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 Children's Preferences in Autism Interventions: Social Validity of the Telehealth Delivered Family-Implemented Treatment for Behavioral Inflexibility (FITBI) Program |
| Monday, May 26, 2025 |
| 10:30 AM–10:50 AM |
| Marriott Marquis, M4 Level, Liberty L |
| Area: AUT |
| Instruction Level: Intermediate |
| CE Instructor: E (Alice) Zhang, Ph.D. |
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| Children's Preferences in Autism Interventions: Social Validity of the Telehealth Delivered Family-Implemented Treatment for Behavioral Inflexibility (FITBI) Program |
| Domain: Applied Research |
| E (ALICE) ZHANG (University of Kansas Medical Center), Sara Camille Diaz de Villegas (University of Kansas & Juniper Gardens Children’s Project), Christopher W Engler (University of Kansas Medical Center), Natalie Babich (University of Kansas), Anna Wallisch (University of Kansas Medical Center), Brian Boyd (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) |
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| Abstract: The Family-Implemented Treatment for Behavioral Inflexibility (FITBI) is a telehealth-based, parent-mediated intervention aimed at reducing repetitive, inflexible behaviors in children with autism (ongoing trial NCT05125003). FITBI involves 13 weekly sessions and three booster sessions over six months, utilizing function-based treatment. This study focused on evaluating social validity, including the children's preferences, to ensure the intervention aligns with their individual needs. Nine children (ages 3–9) completed the social validity assessment, with more data expected from five additional participants.
Children with appropriate communication skills completed a yes/no interview on their enjoyment of the intervention, while those with limited skills participated in either concurrent chains or operants assessments to measure their treatment preferences. Two children verbally expressed positive experiences, while three concurrent operants assessments showed mixed time preferences for the intervention condition. Of four concurrent chains assessments, three favored the no-treatment condition, and one chose treatment in 33.3% of trials.
Preliminary findings indicate mixed preferences, particularly among children with limited communication skills. These results emphasize the need for tailoring interventions to better align with individual preferences. This study contributes to autism treatment research by directly assessing children’s perspectives using developmentally appropriate methods. |
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| Target Audience: Practitioners and researchers with a basic understanding of social validity and preference assessments |
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