Research

To promote a high quality of life for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and other developmental disabilities, researchers of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Institute conduct cutting-edge research related to assessments and interventions in the core areas, facilitate promising service projects with interdisciplinary collaboration, and engage in community activities with cooperative partnership.

Projects

Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Project

The Autism Spectrum Disorders Institute, collaborating with Dell Children's Hospital and the Texas Child Study Center, has launched the Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, a comprehensive and integrated service for children with ASDs and other developmental disabilities. The center provides diagnoses; written reports; individualized consulting; family support; and follow-up care, including implementing intervention across multiple settings (e.g., home, school, community). The project is described in further detail in the Projects section of our website.

Antecedent Intervention for Challenging Behavior

Effects of Motivating Operations on Challenging and Academic Behavior in Classrooms

This study examined the effects of motivating operations on challenging behavior and academic engagement for students with autism. The study found that access to the consequence maintaining the challenging behavior prior to classroom sessions decreased challenging behavior and increased academic engagement during classroom instruction.

Rispoli, M., O’Reilly, M., Lang, R., Machalicek, W., Davis, T., Lancioni, G., & Sigafoos, J. (2011). Effects of motivating operations on problem and academic behavior in classrooms. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 44, 187–192.

Effects of an Abolishing Operation Intervention on Inappropriate Behaviors and Play Skills

Institute research examined an abolishing operation component to reduce stereotypy and challenging behavior during play skills instruction. The results indicated that the component reduced inappropriate behavior of children with ASDs who engage in stereotypy during interventions aimed at increasing play skills.

Lang, R., O'Reilly, M., Sigafoos, J., Machalicek, W., Rispoli, M., Lancioni, G., . . . Fragale, C. (2010). The effects of an abolishing operation intervention component on play skills, challenging behavior, and stereotypy. Behavior Modification, 34, 267–289.

Assessment

Relationship Between Preference Assessment Procedures and Challenging Behavior

Preference assessment is a systematic procedure to identify individuals’ preferred items or activities that subsequently serve as reinforcers. This study compared the occurrence of challenging behaviors maintained by access to tangible items across three preference assessment procedures: paired stimulus, multiple stimulus without replacement, and free operant. The study found that challenging behavior maintained by a particular reinforcer occurred more in one format, which involved the removal of items from children, than others. The results indicate that format selection could help to prevent challenging behavior during preference assessments and to obtain accurate preference information.

Kang, S., Lang, R., O’Reilly, M., Davis, T. N., Machalicek, W., Rispoli,
 M. J., & Chan, J. (2010). Problem behavior during preference assessments: An empirical 
analysis and practical recommendations. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 43, 137–141.

Examination of the Role of Challenging Behavior Maintained by Socially Mediated Reinforcement in ASDs, Using a Modification to Standard Functional Analysis Procedures

This study collected the rates of stereotypy and appropriate play of individuals with ASDs during an extended functional analysis tangible condition (access to their preferred items). The study demonstrated that children whose challenging behavior was maintained by access to preferred items used these items to engage in stereotypy. The results indicate the complex nature of challenging behavior related to the core features of individuals with ASDs.

White, P., O’Reilly, M., Fragale, C., Kang, S., Muhich, K., Falcomata, T., . . . Lancioni, G. (2011). An extended functional analysis protocol assesses the role of stereotypy in aggression in two young children with autism spectrum disorder. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 5, 784–789.

Communication Intervention

iPod Use to Enhance Speech and Communication for Individuals With ASDs

This study demonstrated the viability of using an iPod as a communication aid for individuals with ASDs. This preliminary research demonstrated that practitioners can use the commonly available device in innovative ways to help this population.

Kagohara, D. M., van der Meer, L., Achmadi, D., Green, V. A., O'Reilly, M. F., Mulloy, A., . . . Sigafoos, J. (2010). Behavioral intervention promotes successful use of an iPod-based communication device by an adolescent with autism. Clinical Case Studies, 9, 328–338.

Computer-Based Intervention to Improve Communication Skills in Individuals With ASDs

This study provided a systematic analysis of studies investigating computer-based interventions to improve communication skills in students with ASDs. This review synthesized intervention outcomes, appraised the certainty of evidence, and described software features and system requirements for each intervention.

Ramdoss, S., Lang, R., Mulloy, A., Franco, J., O'Reilly, M., Didden, R., & Lancioni, G. (2011). Use of computer-based interventions to teach communication skills to children with autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review. Journal of Behavioral Education, 20, 55–76.

Other Research

Effectiveness of Gluten- and Casein-Free Diets in Treatment of ASDs

Institute researchers published a review of the scientific literature on the use of gluten-free and casein-free diets in the treatment of ASDs. The review—published in Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, an international, peer-reviewed journal—indicates a lack of empirical support for the use of the popular diet to treat ASDs. This review has been featured on many news and trade websites and publications.

Mulloy, A., Lang, R., O’Reilly, M., Sigafoos, J., Lancioni, G., & Rispoli, M. (2010). Gluten-free and casein-free diets in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 4, 328–339.

Review of Educational Strategies for Functional and Symbolic Play

Institute researchers published a major review of educational strategies to teach functional and symbolic play to children with autism. This review appears in Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, a journal published by the Council for Exceptional Children. Many children with autism experience significant deficits in play skills. Play is a vital skill to foster emotional, social, and cognitive development. This review provides teachers with an overview of scientifically validated strategies to teach play skills to this population.

Lang, R., O’Reilly, M., Rispoli, M., Shogren, K., Machalicek, W., Sigafoos, J., & Regester, A. (2009). Review of interventions to increase functional and symbolic play to children with autism. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, 44, 481–492.

Parent-Reported Treatment Priorities for Children With ASDs

Institute researchers surveyed parents of children with ASDs to determine how the parents prioritized treatment options. Two major findings were reported. First, the primary treatment priorities matched the core features of ASDs: communication and social functioning. However, parents also identified behaviors in domains not directly related to these core symptoms, including academics, community living, vocational skills, and recreation and leisure skills, as important to target. Second, although most treatment priorities aligned with areas in which the children struggled the most, parents also targeted skill domains, including domestic living, community living, and job skills, independent of their children’s skill level. These findings suggest that parents may use different types of logic to guide treatment program development.

Pituch, K. A., Green, V. A., Didden, R., Lang, R., O’Reilly, M. F., Lancioni, G. E., & Sigafoos, J. (2011). Parent reported treatment priorities for children with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 5, 135–143.

How to Involve Families in Educational Decision Making

Nina Zuna, a fellow in the Autism Spectrum Disorders Institute, co-authored an article with researchers from the Beach Center on Disability at the University of Kansas that explores how to help families join professionals in the educational decision-making process. The article, Knowledge-to-Action Guides: Preparing Families to be Partners in Making Educational Decisions, appears in the January/February 2010 issue of Teaching Exceptional Children, a journal published by the Council for Exceptional Children.

Families often do not have the financial resources to subscribe to academic journals, the time to read them, or the expertise to evaluate a practice according to the “gold standards” of evidence-based practice. The authors asked, “How can families be equal decision-makers if they do not have access to the information they need to make informed decisions?” The article is available for download from the Beach Center website.

This article is an installment of the Knowledge-to-Action Guides, which provide families with access to top-tier research, experience-based knowledge, and current policy on relevant educational topics. Knowledge-to-Action Guides are available for free to families and professionals.

Turnbull, A. P., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., . . . Stowe, M. (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides: Preparing families to be partners in making educational decisions. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42–53.

Community Engagement

Partnerships

International Scholars

The Autism Spectrum Disorders Institute has established international links by collaborating with outstanding scholars in the areas of ASDs and developmental disabilities, including scholars with Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand and the University of Bari in Italy.

Early-Intervention Initiative With Austin Travis County Integral Care 

This initiative focuses on early interventions for ASDs based on applied behavior analysis. Several graduate students from The University of Texas at Austin work on the project. For more information, contact Jeannie Aguilar.

Other Activities

Presentation to Department of Family and Protective Services

Dr. Amanda Little, assistant professor in early childhood special education and a fellow of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Institute, delivered a presentation on the characteristics, diagnostic information, evidence-based practices, services and supports, and transition issues related to ASDs. Developmental disability specialists from across Texas with the Department of Family and Protective Services attended the presentation.

Workshop in Missouri

Dr. Terry Falcomata, assistant professor in special education and a fellow of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Institute, conduced a workshop for psychologists, teachers, and administrators at the Missouri Association for Behavior Analysis Annual Conference in November 2009. Falcomata’s workshop focused on function-based approaches to the assessment and treatment of problem behavior for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities.

Distinguished Lecture in New Zealand

Dr. Mark O’Reilly, Mollie Villeret Davis professor in learning disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders Institute director, delivered a lecture to the College of Education at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, in October 2009. O’Reilly discussed the professional training of teachers to work with children with ASDs. Faculty members and students from the College of Education and School of Psychology and members of the New Zealand ministries of Education and Health attended the lecture.

Service on Subcommittee for Act Early Strategic Plan

Dr. Ann Levine, a member of the Texas Child Study Center and a fellow of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Institute, served as a member of the Act Early Subcommittee for the Act Early Strategic Plan. The recommendations of this subcommittee were given to the Texas Council for Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders.

Planning Session for Statewide Center

Dr. Nina Zuna, assistant professor of special education and a fellow of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Institute, attended a state-level planning meeting in Corpus Christi, organized by the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, to discuss the development of a Texas Autism Research and Resource Center. The center would disseminate information and research regarding autism and other pervasive developmental disorders, conduct training, coordinate with local entities that provide autism services, and support families.