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Saturday, May 17, 2008
Champagne Terrace/Bordeaux (Novotel London West)
9:30 AM
Background:
Parents of children with autism and community Autism Service Providers (ASPs) are faced with difficult decisions about which interventions to include in early intervention programs and how those interventions should be implemented (Anderson & Romanczyk, 1999; Guralnick, 1998; Ramey & Ramey, 1998; Schreibman, 2005). Unfortunately, the field of autism suffers from a lack of effective dissemination of evidence-based practices (EBPs), a common malady experienced by other fields related to treatment of medical and psychological disorders (Matson et al., 1996).
Objectives:
Utilize data from other fields to provide recommendations for effective dissemination of EBPs into the autism practice community.
Methods:
This presentation reviews data from various fields (i.e., medicine, education, substance abuse, general child and adult mental health) and develops recommendations to address lack of EBP dissemination in autism.
Results:
Three main components of EBP dissemination discussed in the literature are: 1) knowledge transfer, 2) implementation, and 3) compliance. These techniques are not currently utilized effectively by autism treatment researchers (Barwick et al, 2005; Stahmer et al., 2005; Ruef et al., 1995). The literature review uncovered many innovative techniques from other fields that may be adapted to develop effective dissemination strategies for autism researchers, program administrators, policy makers, and ASPs. Specific strategies will be examined and adaptations recommended.
Conclusions:
Dissemination of EBP for children with autism has been identified by the NIH as a critical area of focus. Without successful dissemination of EBP into the autism practice community, researchers and ASPs are not likely to help the children to whom their efforts are targeted. In order to be disseminated effectively, EBPs have to be acceptable, useful, and also travel accurately from one autism stakeholder group to another. Examination of the components related to effective dissemination of EBP can inform stakeholders about how, when, and what techniques should be utilized.
Parents of children with autism and community Autism Service Providers (ASPs) are faced with difficult decisions about which interventions to include in early intervention programs and how those interventions should be implemented (Anderson & Romanczyk, 1999; Guralnick, 1998; Ramey & Ramey, 1998; Schreibman, 2005). Unfortunately, the field of autism suffers from a lack of effective dissemination of evidence-based practices (EBPs), a common malady experienced by other fields related to treatment of medical and psychological disorders (Matson et al., 1996).
Objectives:
Utilize data from other fields to provide recommendations for effective dissemination of EBPs into the autism practice community.
Methods:
This presentation reviews data from various fields (i.e., medicine, education, substance abuse, general child and adult mental health) and develops recommendations to address lack of EBP dissemination in autism.
Results:
Three main components of EBP dissemination discussed in the literature are: 1) knowledge transfer, 2) implementation, and 3) compliance. These techniques are not currently utilized effectively by autism treatment researchers (Barwick et al, 2005; Stahmer et al., 2005; Ruef et al., 1995). The literature review uncovered many innovative techniques from other fields that may be adapted to develop effective dissemination strategies for autism researchers, program administrators, policy makers, and ASPs. Specific strategies will be examined and adaptations recommended.
Conclusions:
Dissemination of EBP for children with autism has been identified by the NIH as a critical area of focus. Without successful dissemination of EBP into the autism practice community, researchers and ASPs are not likely to help the children to whom their efforts are targeted. In order to be disseminated effectively, EBPs have to be acceptable, useful, and also travel accurately from one autism stakeholder group to another. Examination of the components related to effective dissemination of EBP can inform stakeholders about how, when, and what techniques should be utilized.