RESUMEN
Ample research has shown that intensive applied behavior analysis (ABA) treatment produces robust outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, little is known about the relationship between treatment intensity and treatment outcomes. The current study was designed to evaluate this relationship. Participants included 726 children, ages 1.5 to 12 years old, receiving community-based behavioral intervention services. Results indicated a strong relationship between treatment intensity and mastery of learning objectives, where higher treatment intensity predicted greater progress. Specifically, 35% of the variance in mastery of learning objectives was accounted for by treatment hours using standard linear regression, and 60% of variance was accounted for using artificial neural networks. These results add to the existing support for higher intensity treatment for children with ASD.
Asunto(s)
Trastorno del Espectro Autista/terapia , Terapia Conductista/métodos , Evaluación de Procesos y Resultados en Atención de Salud/métodos , Niño , Preescolar , Humanos , Lactante , Aprendizaje , MasculinoRESUMEN
Ample research has shown the benefits of intensive applied behavior analysis (ABA) treatment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD); research that investigates the role of treatment supervision, however, is limited. The present study examined the relationship between mastery of learning objectives and supervision hours, supervisor credentials, years of experience, and caseload in a large sample of children with ASD (N = 638). These data were retrieved from a large archival database of children with ASD receiving community-based ABA services. When analyzed together via a multiple linear regression, supervision hours and treatment hours accounted for only slightly more of the observed variance (r2 = 0.34) than treatment hours alone (r2 = 0.32), indicating that increased supervision hours do not dramatically increase the number of mastered learning objectives. In additional regression analyses, supervisor credentials were found to have a significant impact on the number of mastered learning objectives, wherein those receiving supervision from a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) mastered significantly more learning objectives. Likewise, the years of experience as a clinical supervisor showed a small but significant impact on the mastery of learning objectives. A supervisor's caseload, however, was not a significant predictor of the number of learning objectives mastered. These findings provide guidance for best practice recommendations.