UC San Diego

Dissemination of evidence-based interventions for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a major challenge facing the field. Collaboration between researchers and practitioners aimed towards developing and adapting interventions with strong scientific support may aid in the widespread adoption of evidence-based intervention in community classrooms. The following three studies were motivated by teacher feedback on the use of one evidence based intervention, Pivotal Response Training (PRT), in the classroom. Two intervention components were selected for examination based on teacher report of difficulty with use and subsequent omission and observed difficulty with implementation: response to multiple cues and turn taking. Response to multiple cues was evaluated by administering a discrimination learning assessment to typically developing children to determine the age at which it is developmentally appropriate to incorporate conditional discriminations into instruction (Chapter 1). The discrimination learning assessment was also administered to children with ASD to determine the extent to which today's population of children receiving intervention services has difficulty with overselectivity (Chapter 2). Results demonstrated that typically developing children do not consistently respond to simple conditional discriminations until 36 months of age, indicating that response to multiple cues does not need to be incorporated into PRT until children with ASD reach that developmental level. Additionally, a significantly smaller percentage of children with ASD display difficulty with simple conditional discriminations than in previous studies. The turn taking component of PRT was evaluated through a single subject, alternating treatments design that examined the effects of the elements of modeling and contingency on children's communication and play behavior (Chapter 3). Results demonstrated consistent patterns in children's behavior based on the elements of turn taking in use and the functioning level of the child. Avenues for adaptation of the multiple cues and turn taking components and methods of treatment individualization are discussed. Based on these three studies, adaptations to PRT that may support teachers' use of the strategy in the classroom may be made. This research represents a useful model for the iterative and collaborative process of gathering information from front-line practitioners, conducting basic research based on their feedback, and utilizing that basic research to inform clinical practice