MEDIA RELEASE: 31 March 2017 – R00070
In the lead-up to World Autism Awareness Day on Sunday, April 2, a Brock University-chaired provincial taskforce has released a report that says a scientific approach is the best option when assisting people with autism.
Julie Koudys, assistant professor in Brock’s Centre for Applied Disabilities Studies, says applied behaviour analysis programs and services are based on scientific methods that help understand, and improve, a variety of behaviours in different settings.
“We strongly believe these evidence-based interventions deliver immediate benefits in terms of improving quality of life, but also represent significant long-term benefit and cost savings,” says Koudys, who chairs the Ontario Scientific Expert Taskforce for the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (OSETT-ASD). The taskforce was commissioned by the Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysts (ONTABA).
The taskforce began its work last year following the announcement of a new Ontario Autism Program that would begin this June.
The taskforce’s report, “Evidence-Based Practices For Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Recommendations for Caregivers, Practitioners, and Policy Makers” describes ways in which applied behaviour analysis brings about specific results. Examples include:
• Cognitive behavioural intervention: learners are taught to examine their own thoughts and emotions, recognize when these are becoming too intense, and then use strategies to change their thinking and behaviour
• Parent training and parent-implemented interventions: programs in which parents are trained to carry out some or all of the intervention(s) with their own child, including teaching their child new skills and/or decreasing challenging behaviour
• Functional behaviour assessment: a systematic way of determining the underlying function or purpose of a behaviour so that an effective intervention plan can be developed
The report makes a number of recommendations on how to move forward with such interventions.
“We sincerely hope the information in this report will be helpful in very practical ways to families and practitioners as they try to make the best decisions for their children and their clients,” says Koudys.
“We also hope this information will help policy makers use public dollars most effectively to meet the needs of this vulnerable population,” she says.
The Taskforce also includes Kimberley Zonneveld, assistant professor in Brock’s Centre for Applied Disability Studies, and Tricia Vause, associate professor in Brock’s Child and Youth Studies Program.
Brock University is a major player in the field of applied behaviour analysis.
Koudys says Ontario has “one of the highest concentrations of behaviour analysts per capita in the world,” and that around half of the analysts in this are Brock graduates from the M.ADS and M.A. programs offered through the Centre for Applied Disability Studies.”
For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:
* Cathy Majtenyi, Research Communications/Media Relations Specialist, Brock University, cmajtenyi@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5789 or 905-321-0566
Brock University Marketing and Communications has a full-service studio where we can provide high definition video and broadcast-quality audio.
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