Early Childhood Educator Use of Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions

Principal Investigator: Elizabeth Keck, B.A.

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by differences in social communication and interaction, as well as the presence of restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. Considerable research has focused on the development and evaluation of evidence-based interventions designed to support individuals with autism from a young age, with empirically supported methods now available. However, there remains a research-to-practice gap within community-based programs, such that delivery of these interventions in usual care settings is lacking. Autistic children and their families also face barriers to receiving quality early childhood education services, which is problematic for their early development and family well-being. Recent research supports the effectiveness of naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBI) for improving the early development of children with autism in a range of areas. Embedding NDBI strategies in early childhood education settings may be a way to enhance the implementation of effective evidence-based practices and the readiness of usual care programs to include children with disabilities. The current observational study aims to characterize NDBI strategies used by early childhood education teachers (n = 35) in usual care settings. Additionally, the study will investigate teacher and setting factors associated with NDBI strategy usage. The findings of this study will enhance our understanding of empirically supported intervention strategies used in non-specialized settings and factors influencing use. These findings can inform future provider training in naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions to enable embedding within usual care settings and improved access to empirically supported strategies, as well as equitable early childhood services for the growing population of individuals with autism and their families.

*Currently Recruiting! Click Here to Learn about Participating In This Study*