Abstract
As autism prevalence rises, parents of children with autism rely upon professionals to recommend the most effective treatment for their children. Historically, these professionals have chosen a range of treatments from empirically supported to nonempirically supported treatments. This study replicated and extended that work by surveying Board Certified Behavior Analysts to determine what treatments they promoted and used. Results showed that although most respondents used evidence-based, behavioral procedures, many did not. Influential stimuli most likely to contribute to behavior analysts' choices of treatments were beliefs in effectiveness, ease of implementation, and persuasion by others. Self-reported reinforcers for treatment use included perceived observed success, praise from others, and financial gain. Behavior analysts continue to use a variety of nonscientifically supported treatments, including those that have been deemed ineffective and harmful to people with autism. Future training of Board Certified Behavior Analysts must stress adherence to the ethical code for certified behavior analysts, adherence to data-based decision-making, and strict fealty to the scientific process in which all behavior analysts have been trained.
| Language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages | 355-376 |
| Number of pages | 22 |
| Journal | Behavioral Interventions |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 1 2016 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
- Psychiatry and Mental health
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Behavior Analysts' Use of and Beliefs in Treatments for People with Autism : A 5-Year Follow-up. / Schreck, Kimberly Anne; Karunaratne, Yenushka; Zane, Thomas; Wilford, Heather.
In: Behavioral Interventions, Vol. 31, No. 4, 01.11.2016, p. 355-376.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Behavior Analysts' Use of and Beliefs in Treatments for People with Autism
T2 - Behavioral Interventions
AU - Schreck, Kimberly Anne
AU - Karunaratne, Yenushka
AU - Zane, Thomas
AU - Wilford, Heather
PY - 2016/11/1
Y1 - 2016/11/1
N2 - As autism prevalence rises, parents of children with autism rely upon professionals to recommend the most effective treatment for their children. Historically, these professionals have chosen a range of treatments from empirically supported to nonempirically supported treatments. This study replicated and extended that work by surveying Board Certified Behavior Analysts to determine what treatments they promoted and used. Results showed that although most respondents used evidence-based, behavioral procedures, many did not. Influential stimuli most likely to contribute to behavior analysts' choices of treatments were beliefs in effectiveness, ease of implementation, and persuasion by others. Self-reported reinforcers for treatment use included perceived observed success, praise from others, and financial gain. Behavior analysts continue to use a variety of nonscientifically supported treatments, including those that have been deemed ineffective and harmful to people with autism. Future training of Board Certified Behavior Analysts must stress adherence to the ethical code for certified behavior analysts, adherence to data-based decision-making, and strict fealty to the scientific process in which all behavior analysts have been trained.
AB - As autism prevalence rises, parents of children with autism rely upon professionals to recommend the most effective treatment for their children. Historically, these professionals have chosen a range of treatments from empirically supported to nonempirically supported treatments. This study replicated and extended that work by surveying Board Certified Behavior Analysts to determine what treatments they promoted and used. Results showed that although most respondents used evidence-based, behavioral procedures, many did not. Influential stimuli most likely to contribute to behavior analysts' choices of treatments were beliefs in effectiveness, ease of implementation, and persuasion by others. Self-reported reinforcers for treatment use included perceived observed success, praise from others, and financial gain. Behavior analysts continue to use a variety of nonscientifically supported treatments, including those that have been deemed ineffective and harmful to people with autism. Future training of Board Certified Behavior Analysts must stress adherence to the ethical code for certified behavior analysts, adherence to data-based decision-making, and strict fealty to the scientific process in which all behavior analysts have been trained.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84991396043&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/bin.1461
DO - 10.1002/bin.1461
M3 - Article
VL - 31
SP - 355
EP - 376
JO - Behavioral Interventions
JF - Behavioral Interventions
SN - 1072-0847
IS - 4
ER -