Reaching Children Where They Are: The Promise and Challenge of School-Based Intervention for Autism

Schools are the primary service provider for children with ASD over five. They are accessible to more children than the clinic and offer greater opportunities for generalization of treatment effects. Yet there is a lack of evidence-based intervention in schools related to difficulties with adoption and implementation of treatments that were developed in research settings (Weisz et al, 2005). Effective school-based interventions are developed within the systems in which they will be delivered, with stakeholder involvement, appropriate training, and fidelity monitoring. They acknowledge the time and financial constraints driving schools, and provide low-intensity treatments where appropriate, and adaptive methodologies that allow rapid tailoring of treatments (Wood et al, 2015). Moderated by an expert in the translation of evidence-based autism research to the community (Stahmer), this panel will share knowledge gleaned from experience working in schools, as well as empirical evidence for specific school-based interventions. Data will be presented on: Positive outcomes following novel executive function interventions in elementary (Anthony) and middle-school classrooms (Strang); Application of innovative SMART methodology and the adaptive interventions it enables (Sturm); and a survey of school professionals about their knowledge of evidence-based interventions and how they select interventions to implement (Kenworthy).
Thursday, May 10, 2018: 10:30 AM-12:30 PM
Willem Burger Zaal (de Doelen ICC Rotterdam)
Panel Chair:
L. Kenworthy
Discussant:
A. C. Stahmer
10:30 AM
Improving the Executive Functioning of Adolescents with ASD through School-Based Intervention: The on Target for Life Curriculum
J. F. Strang L. Anthony C. E. Pugliese L. Cannon M. A. Werner S. Seese M. F. Skapek L. Kenworthy
10:55 AM
What Matters?: An Examination of Implementation Factors in the Effectiveness of Two Tier 2 School-Based Interventions
L. Anthony A. Verbalis C. E. Pugliese K. Hardy J. F. Strang B. J. Anthony A. B. Ratto S. Seese J. Safer A. C. Armour M. Troxel Y. Myrick D. Limon L. Kenworthy
11:20 AM
Acceptability and Feasibility of a Pilot SMART Design in a School Setting
A. Sturm A. J. Schlink S. Y. Shire W. I. Shih D. Almirall C. Kasari