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Retention (i.e., response maintenance) is rarely the primary variable of interest when examining skill acquisition procedures. Trial presentation type (i.e., acquisition targets only vs. interspersal of previously acquired targets) within discrete-trial training is one procedural component that researchers have hypothesized may affect performance on follow-up retention probes. The present study compared single-task presentation (varied instruction) and task interspersal procedures with regard to retention of a mastered task. We taught four children two skills so that retention of the mastered skill (Skill 1) could be assessed during ongoing instruction of a new skill (Skill 2) using varied instruction versus task interspersal. Findings demonstrated equivalency of varied instruction and task interspersal. Results support that frequent rehearsal of a skill acquisition program without consequences is equivalent to ongoing instruction with consequences. Findings suggest instructors should program follow-up probes of previously mastered content into or between sessions, especially when utilizing single-task trial arrangements that do not incorporate such.

Early studies evaluating the relative preference for leisure compared with edible items suggested that, for most participants (>80%), edible items are more preferred than leisure items. Recent studies suggest more variability in the percentage of participants with this preference. The rationale for this variability could be sampling, setting, availability of items outside of the study, or the items included. As a systematic replication, we conducted preference assessments of leisure, edible, and leisure/edible items combined of 13 children with developmental disabilities. As an inclusion criterion, all participants had an electronic item as the top-preferred leisure item. An edible item ranked first in the combined assessment for 46.2% of participants. This replicates recent findings while accounting for access to edibles outside of the study. These outcomes are important to guide use of preference assessments across reinforcer classes in clinical and school settings.

Bullying is problematic for school-age children and especially for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is commonly defined in research using three themes: intent to harm, repetition, and a power imbalance. Despite encompassing a wide range of behaviors, these themes may not fully align with day-to-day layperson experiences. They also may not account for the cognitive biases within respondent groups that impact bullying perception. This study used a mixed-methods approach to understand how laypersons determine the presence and type of bullying behavior. The impact of an ASD relationship (i.e., ASD parents and teachers) on perceptions of bullying was also examined. Participants (N = 184 adults) categorized brief, written vignettes describing child dyadic interactions as a type of bullying behavior (i.e., physical, verbal, interpersonal, cyber), non-bullying behavior, or provided an "other" response. Thematic analysis of the qualitative, "other" explanations for bullying ambiguity revealed three themes: a need for more contextual information, the presence of other types of bullying (outside the options provided), and other non-bullying behaviors (e.g., crime, peer pressure). Comparing the probability of use across and within themes revealed statistically significant differences such that layperson views of bullying did not fully align with research definitions. Additionally, perceptions of bullying differed among individuals with and without ASD relationships (i.e., parents, teachers) and undergraduate students. Existing research definitions for bullying do not fully encompass the breadth of daily-lived and cultural experiences of laypersons. We propose an expanded "working definition" of bullying that may be useful to more accurately identify children in need of intervention and generate more reliable estimates of bullying across studies.

Autistic people, by definition, differ in social behavior from non-autistic individuals. One characteristic common to many autistic people is a special interest in a particular topic--something spoken about with such frequency and intensity that it may be stigmatized by non-autistic peers. We investigated college students' interest in interacting with peers described as behaving in ways characteristic of autism (or not), and additionally described as having a special interest (or not). As expected, autistic characters were more stigmatized, but autistic characters with a special interest were not more stigmatized than those without. Only among non-autistic characters was having a special interest associated with greater stigmatization. Findings give further insight into factors influencing the stigmatization of autistic college students.

Provider burnout is a prevalent concern within the workforce. This is particularly true among behavioral providers serving autistic and neurodivergent individuals. Burnout warrants consideration given its known harmful effects on providers, their services, and the organizations within which they serve. To date, burnout has been largely conceptualized through mentalistic frameworks. This approach coupled with limited guidance on developing, implementing, and evaluating cost-effective systems- and organization-level interventions to address or reduce burnout, may contribute to findings that burnout interventions produce small and inconsistent effects. As a result, organizations may be less able or likely to invest in burnout prevention and management strategies. Organizational behavior management (OBM) may offer unique insights into addressing burnout. In this paper, we discuss how burnout may instead be conceptualized through a behavioral lens with a focus on burnout consistent behavior. We then describe the relevance of OBM practitioners in assessing burnout and functionally relevant stimuli/events (e.g. positive reinforcers, such as praise for overwork; negative reinforcers, such as escape/avoidance of aversive work tasks or client interactions), and considerations for using their existing skill set to inform the development of interventions to effectively prevent and/or manage burnout within organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral parent training (BPT) is an empirically supported approach for addressing the behavioral concerns of autistic children. However, many families face barriers to accessing BPT. Adapting BPT via telehealth technology may improve access for families, especially those living in rural regions. This study aims to evaluate the implementation of a Research Units in Behavioral Intervention (RUBI), a BPT program for autistic children, via telehealth to families living in the Appalachian region of the United States. We employed a mixed-methods approach to examine the feasibility and potential efficacy of implementing the Research Units in Behavioral Intervention Autism Network parent training via telehealth (RUBI-T) with seven rural parent-child dyads. RUBI-T was found to be feasible and satisfactory to parents and community providers. RUBI-T also shows promise for reducing children's disruptive behavior, improving children's adaptive skills, and reducing parent stress, although a more thorough evaluation of its efficacy is warranted. The limitations and implications of the results are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feedback is an important and effective tool for changing employee behavior. While feedback is generally considered effective, characteristics of its delivery can impact the degree to which it changes behavior. One characteristic that has received increased attention is sequence of positive and constructive comments. While the feedback sandwich (positive – constructive – positive) is commonly used, this sequence has come under recent criticism. The present study compares two sequences of post-session feedback (sandwich, constructive-positive) and a within-session feedback control while training participants to implement a simple behavioral assessment. Within-session feedback produced the highest implementation fidelity during the initial role play, but there were no significant differences by the third and final role-play. There was also no difference in training satisfaction or feedback satisfaction across conditions. Taken together, these findings suggest that sequence of positive and constructive comments may not significantly alter the effectiveness of feedback in the context of training a new skill in an analog setting when multiple practice sessions are utilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The neurodiversity paradigm positions autism as a neurological difference that is disabling in the societal context, shifting away from the traditional medical view of a disorder. Several recent publications recommend use of alternative neuro-affirming language (ANL) instead of traditional medical language (TML) with the aim to increase acceptance of autistic people and reduce prejudice. Examining language use within recent autism literature, including by journal and study characteristics, may offer insight into the influence of these recommendations and current disability discourse., Methods: A systematic review was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines in autism research from 2021 ( n  = 2322 articles; 394 journals). Articles were coded according to topic, participants, and use of self-report. Journals were coded by topic, geographic region, and language guidelines. Terminology use was extracted using QDA Miner software., Results: Many articles primarily used TML with a smaller subset primarily using ANL. There was a positive correlation between ANL use and publication date. More ANL was associated with articles on topics of autistic traits, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), or lifespan and that included autistic adults or autistic self-report. More ANL was also found in journals from Australasia or Europe or those that had identify-first language (IFL) guidelines. Less ANL (more TML) was associated with articles on biology/causes or treatment and that included autistic or non-autistic parents, autistic youth, siblings, or other clinical groups, and were published in medical journals., Conclusion: TML continues to largely dominate language choices in autism research, with an emerging shift toward ANL in recent literature. Increased ANL may be facilitated by journal and article language recommendations. Neuro-affirming language was also more likely in articles on topics prioritized by the autistic community, that included autistic adults, and may also be driven by cultural differences. Researchers and practitioners should consider the potential for their language use to impact individual and societal views of autistic people., (Copyright 2023, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.)