Misinformation poses significant challenges to evidence-based practice. In the public health domain specifically, treatment misinformation can lead to opportunity costs or direct harm. Alas, attempts ...to debunk misinformation have proven sub-optimal, and have even been shown to "backfire", including increasing misperceptions. Thus, optimized debunking strategies have been developed to more effectively combat misinformation. The aim of this study was to test these strategies in a real-world setting, targeting misinformation about autism interventions. In the context of professional development training, we randomly assigned participants to an "optimized-debunking" or a "treatment-as-usual" training condition and compared support for non-empirically-supported treatments before, after, and six weeks following completion of online training. Results demonstrated greater benefits of optimized debunking immediately after training; thus, the implemented strategies can serve as a general and flexible debunking template. However, the effect was not sustained at follow-up, highlighting the need for further research into strategies for sustained change.
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may have additional needs in the classroom, resulting from delays in their development of critical school readiness skills, which include following ...directions and attending to tasks. Consequently, empirically supported strategies targeting these skills have been developed, yet there is evidence to suggest they are not being utilised. The aim of this study was to address this research-practice gap, by working with teachers to identify factors that contribute to their decisions to select and implement these strategies. Using a qualitative methodology and purposive sampling, 13 Australian educators were interviewed to determine factors that influence their selection of strategies to use with children with ASD, including information sources they utilised. Teachers reported that individual characteristics of the children, their own professional experience, and the need for strategies to work within their settings strongly influenced their decision-making. Further, in their efforts to make good decisions surrounding the support of students with ASD, teachers not only accessed supports provided by their school but in some cases sought out additional resources. This study helps to identify the practical considerations that influence the knowledge and use of empirically supported strategies by mainstream teachers.
Children on the autism spectrum are consistently reported to underachieve compared to ability. In typically developing children, anxiety is a strong predictor of poor school performance. Despite the ...high prevalence of anxiety disorders among children on the spectrum, the impact of their anxiety on academic achievement is under-researched. The main aim of this project is to determine the moderating role anxiety may have in the development of academic learning behaviours (academic enablers) in children on the spectrum. This project addresses a gap in knowledge about the possible associations between anxiety and academic achievement in children on the spectrum. Understanding these associations opens up the possibility of new intervention pathways to enhance academic outcomes through anxiety reduction/prevention.
This longitudinal study will aim to recruit 64 children on the spectrum aged 4-5 years and their parents. Information will be gathered from children, parents and teachers. Children will be randomly assigned to one of two conditions in order to experimentally manipulate anxiety levels in the sample: experimental (to receive an anxiety reduction/prevention program, N = 32) or control (no intervention/treatment as usual, N = 32). The primary outcome measures are child academic skills and enabling behaviours assessed using the Academic Competence Evaluation Scales and the WIAT-II. Anxiety will be assessed through parent and teacher report. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, post-experimental manipulation of anxiety, and within the first year of formal schooling. It is hypothesised that anxiety will moderate the relationship between autism characteristics and academic enablers.
Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed manuscripts and conference presentations. Lay summaries will be provided to all participants and available on the research centre website.
The first contact parents may have with a professional in relation to their child with a disability is often at the point of diagnosis. From that moment onwards, parents embark on a journey that ...generally involves the formation of many relationships with professionals working in the field. These relationships have the potential to facilitate individual and family outcomes but may also jeopardise these outcomes. It is not surprising that researchers have been interested in examining the components of productive relationships and the impact these may have on the quality of life for individuals with disabilities and their families. This article draws on the work of contributing authors to this special issue to examine some of the research that has led to our current understandings of how parents who have a child with a disability and professionals can form meaningful and productive partnerships. It considers how the nature of these partnerships is changing, and some of the issues that have been raised as a result of these changes.
More students with disabilities are accessing the tertiary sector with many disabilities not easily observed (or hidden), because there are no physical indicators. These "hidden" disabilities affect ...a variety of cognitive processes and may be developmental or acquired. To ensure students with hidden disabilities can enrol, engage in and benefit from tertiary education, universities generally provide a range of supports. Typically these supports and any reasonable adjustments are negotiated with students taking into account a number of factors including, where available, any supporting documentation that they might be able to provide. This case study reports efforts within one large Australian university to support higher education students with hidden disabilities on campus. Perceptions on the use of and barriers to support available were collected from seven undergraduate students who self-identified as having hidden disabilities and from eight support staff. Results indicated that students found their informal networks to be their most effective supports, closely followed by clear, caring and flexible lecturers and tutors. There were mixed positive and negative perceptions reported on the universal and disability-specific supports available. Implications and future research directions are discussed.
It is widely reported that music can be beneficial to individuals with autism. This review was undertaken to determine the evidence base for the use of music as an intervention for children with ...autism. After searching relevant databases, 128 articles were identified of which 20 articles met the study’s inclusion criteria. Composed songs and improvisational music therapy were the predominant music techniques used. There was somewhat limited evidence to support the use of music interventions under certain conditions to facilitate social, communicative and behavioural skills in young children with autism. The implications of these findings in terms of use of music interventions, issues related to generalization and maintenance, and future research are discussed.
The academic achievement of individuals with autism spectrum disorder has received little attention from researchers despite the importance placed on this by schools, families and students with ...autism spectrum disorder. Investigating factors that lead to increased academic achievement thus would appear to be very important. A review of the literature was conducted to identify factors related to the academic achievement of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. A total of 19 studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria for the review. Results indicated that many individuals demonstrate specific areas of strength and weakness and there is a great deal of variability in general academic achievement across the autism spectrum. Adolescents and individuals with lower IQ scores were underrepresented, and few studies focused on environmental factors related to academic success. The importance of individualised assessments that profile the relative strengths and weaknesses of children and adolescents to aid in educational programming was highlighted. Further research on child-related and environmental factors that predict academic achievement is needed.
Implementation of evidence-based practices with fidelity during early intervention is important in achieving positive outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder. However, uptake with ...fidelity has been poor in community settings. Traditional professional development approaches have done little to change practice. This has stimulated interest in researching the use of structured consultation to address this challenge. In this study, we used a single case experimental design with multiple baselines across participants to investigate the effects of structured consultation on the use of descriptive praise. Participants were 4 early intervention professional and paraprofessional staff, 1 in the role of consultant and 3 consultees. All consultees learned to implement descriptive praise with fidelity and maintained improvements at follow-up. All participants rated the professional development program based on structured consultation as socially valid. Structured consultation improved treatment fidelity and was acceptable to staff. Replication on a larger scale is recommended. Author abstract
Background There is a growing body of literature investigating the efficacy of music interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, little empirical research has been ...conducted into the use of musical elements to facilitate language learning.
Methods This crossover-design study compared the responses of 22 children with ASD (M age = 5.88 years) to sung and spoken instructions embedded into a computer-based communication intervention designed to teach receptive labelling.
Results There was no significant difference between the sung and spoken conditions. Following both conditions, there was a significant increase in receptive labelling skills; skills were generalised and were maintained at follow-up. A difference in group performance was found.
Conclusion Further research is required to investigate child characteristics that may impact on children's performance using this approach.
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