Correction: Professional Development of Behavior Analysts in Europe: A Snapshot for 21 Countries.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s40617-022-00754-0.].

Positive behaviour support: a systematic literature review of the effect of staff training and organisational behaviour management.

Positive Behaviour Support is an applied behaviour analytic system of support that is utilised in schools and in residential care settings for children and adults with disabilities who engage in challenging behaviour. Implementation fidelity depends on appropriate staff training and organisational behaviour management. A systematic literature review is reported that evaluated the evidence in relation to change in staff and service user behaviour and the impact of organisational behaviour management systems on effectiveness, generalization, and maintenance of these outcomes. Nine relevant articles were identified and analysed according to (1) the demographics of staff and residents and methods of staff training; (2) organisational behaviour management systems; (3) staff and service-user behavioural outcome measures; and (4) the methodological quality of the study. A combination of antecedent and consequence-based training strategies was used in the studies. Eight studies reported on the organisational behaviour management systems that were used, with five reporting on the responsibility of trainees to transfer their training to their untrained teams (pyramidal training). Although the studies reported on staff behaviour change following the training, only one of the studies reported significant increases of service user quality of life as a result of staff training and only two studies provided adequate methodological strength.

Professional Development of Behavior Analysts in Europe: A Snapshot for 21 Countries.

Behavior analysts are not recognized or regulated as a distinct profession in Europe. For the most part, European behavior analysts adhered to the standards set by the U.S.-based Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). However, the BACB certification has not been recognized officially in any European jurisdiction. The recent decision by the BACB to discontinue eligibility of non-U.S. residents to apply for the BCBA exam by the end of 2022 has brought the issue of professional regulation outside of the United States into sharp focus. This article offers a snapshot in time of professional recognition of behavior analysts in 21 European countries. It stems from the Erasmus+ funded EuroBA project and its Professional Advisory Group (PAG). The EuroBA project aims to develop common standards and competences for behavior analysts to facilitate national regulation and mutual recognition across Europe.

Behavior analytic interventions for children with autism: Policy and practice in the United Kingdom and China.

LAY ABSTRACT: The prevalence of autism is increasing, and the development of these children and the lived experience of their families have become a global concern. Applied behavioral analytic intervention is proved to be effective in improving their cognitive abilities, language skills, and social and emotional skills, but the service delivery between developed and developing countries is different. A qualitative study was conducted to explore personal experiences with actual practice fidelity of behavior analytic services for children with autism in a Western developed country (United Kingdom) and an Eastern developing country (China). The study found: (1) a lack of support for autism and behavioral analytic services in both countries; (2) applied behavioral analytic intervention was not as widely endorsed by healthcare or educational systems in the United Kingdom; Chinese parents faced challenges around inclusive education and accessing high-quality services and there was a social stigma attached to autism; (3) a limited awareness and application of early intensive behavior intervention in both regions; and (4) intervention fidelity with regards to the practice of one particular aspect of behavioral analytic interventions was similar and increased with ongoing training. This study emphasizes the need to support children with autism, and to consider regional adaptations of evidence-based practice of behavior analytic interventions for the affected population.

Parents and teachers of children in special education settings value in-school eyecare and written reports of visual status.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate parent and teacher opinion of the provision of in-school eyecare and jargon-free written reporting of visual status for children in special educational settings. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A nationally-agreed, in-school eyecare framework for children attending special schools which recommends a full eye examination, dispensing of spectacles and provision of a jargon-free written report of visual outcomes to parents and teachers, was provided to 200 children (mean age 10 years, 9 months; 70% male) attending a special school in the UK. The written 'Vision Report' detailed, in lay-language, results from the eye examination and provided practical advice to alleviate the impact of vision difficulties both at home and in the classroom. Following implementation of the framework, parents and teachers completed a feedback questionnaire to determine their opinion of the in-school eye examination and utility of the Vision Report. RESULTS: Parents of 123 participants returned a feedback questionnaire. Eighty-eight participants were represented by the 23 teachers who returned a questionnaire. The in-school eyecare was rated positively for children in special education by 82.4% of parents and 80.9% of teachers. Key benefits included the familiarity of the in-school setting (81.3% of parents and 100% of teachers agree), the convenience of the setting for parents (74.0% of parents and 100% of teachers agree), and the opportunity for teachers to speak directly to eyecare providers regarding a child's visual needs (82.6% of teachers agree). The information provided by the Vision Report was deemed useful day-to-day by 78.3% of parents and 100% of teachers. The majority (80%) of teachers implemented classroom modifications suggested in the report, whereas only 47.9% of parents reported implementation of modifications at home. CONCLUSIONS: Provision of in-school eyecare is valued by parents and teachers of children in special education settings. Jargon-free, written reports of visual status are valued and utilised by parents and teachers. Further support is required to aid parents in implementing vision modifications at home.

We Don't Train in Vain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Human and Canine Caregiver Training.

The present review assessed the current knowledge regarding caregiver- training effectiveness for human and human-canine dyads. Most canine-related sources (66%; n = 19) were case studies reporting a decrease of learner undesired behavior when using oral instruction (21%; n = 6). Most human-related research used single-case designs (57%; n = 26) reporting an increase in desired learner behavior (22%; n = 10) when caregivers received multi-component training packages (17%, n = 8). The meta-analysis (n = 18) revealed that interventions had a large effect (Hedges' g = 0.88, 95%CI [0.68-1.07]), with packages yielding a slightly larger moderate effect (Hedges' g = 0.76, 95%CI [0.60-0.91]) than oral instruction alone (Hedges' g = 0.74, 95%CI [0.32-1,15]). Although the effectiveness of caregiver training is promising, the results should be interpreted cautiously. Due to the preponderance of case studies within canine literature and the insufficient reporting of data across sources, only few studies could be included in the meta-analysis. Overall, more systematic and comparative research regarding the efficacy of caregivers in behavior change programs across species is needed.

Fluency training in medical education: Improving competence in IV fluid therapy knowledge and skills.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Objectives: Intravenous fluid (IV) therapy is an important component of care for many hospital patients, especially in perioperative and acute care settings. However, errors in fluid composition and dosing can be life-threatening. To achieve competent professional performance, i.e., accurate and fluent, it is vitally important that medical students receive effective training in IV fluid therapy. Methods: In this study, we explored how Precision Teaching (PT), a behaviour analytic teaching method, can enhance outcomes of usual medical education techniques. A total of 178 third-year medical students participated in the study during the IV fluid therapy training week. All students completed a multiple-choice test pre- and post-training. In addition to standard IV fluid therapy teaching, the experimental intervention group (n=83 students) used SAFMEDS ( Say All Fast Minute Every Day Shuffled) cards approximately 3-5 times per day for 5 days. The other 95 students (control group) received teaching as usual, but did not undergo the additional training. Results: Results show that the SAFMEDS boosted performance of the intervention group on the MCQ by 20 percentage points when compared to the control group. Fluency (accuracy and speed) of performance on SAFMED trials increased markedly during the intervention week and there was evidence that weaker students benefitted in particular. Conclusions: Implications for medical education are outlined.

Spreading the News: History, Successes, Challenges and the Ethics of Effective Dissemination.

Behavior analysts are responsible for disseminating behavior analysis by making information about the science available to the public, professional peers, and government officials. The purposes of the current paper are to outline the dissemination efforts of professional associations in the field of behavior analysis; to highlight the parallel efforts to disseminate and establish behavior analysis as a profession, including the evolution and growth of certification; to share examples of dissemination successes; to describe some challenges that have been faced when disseminating behavior analysis internationally; and to suggest some strategies for ethical and effective dissemination of behavior analysis.

User Centered Reading Intervention for Individuals with Autism and Intellectual Disability.

Individuals with autism and intellectual disability (ID) have complex learning needs and often have difficulty in acquiring reading comprehension skills using conventional teaching tools. Evidence based reading interventions for these learners and the use of assistive technology and application of behaviour analysis to develop user-centered teaching is discussed in this paper.

Staff Training in Autism: The One-Eyed Wo/Man .

Having well-trained staff is key to ensuring good quality autism services, especially since people affected with autism generally tend to have higher support needs than other populations in terms of daily living, as well as their mental and physical health. Poorly-trained staff can have detrimental effects on service provision and staff morale and can lead to staff burn-out, as well as increased service user anxiety and stress. This paper reports on a survey with health, social care, and education staff who work within the statutory autism services sector in the UK that explored their knowledge and training with regards to autism. Interview data obtained from staff and service users offer qualitative illustrations of survey findings. Overall, the findings expose an acute lack of autism-specific training that has detrimental impacts. At best, this training was based on brief and very basic awareness raising rather than on in-depth understanding of issues related to autism or skills for evidence-based practice. Service users were concerned with the effects that the lack of staff training had on the services they received. The paper concludes with a discussion of policy routes to achieving quality staff training based on international best practice. The focus is on improving the quality of life and mental health for services users and staff, as well as making potentially significant cost-savings for governments.

Creating an Inclusive Society How Close are We in Relation to Autism Spectrum Disorder? A General Population Survey.

BACKGROUND: Children with autism spectrum disorder are increasingly educated in mainstream classrooms in the United Kingdom (Wilkinson & Twist, Autism and Educational Assessment: UK Policy and Practice. NFER, Slough, 2010), and some employers are now specifically seeking out staff on the autism spectrum. Does that mean that we are living in an 'inclusive society' [United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), Creating an Inclusive Society: Practical Strategies to Promote Social Integration 2008], in the sense that inequalities are reduced and full economic, social and cultural participation is advanced for individuals with autism? METHODS: A general population survey was conducted to assess how close we, as a society, are to an inclusive society for individuals with autism in Northern Ireland. Public attitudes were examined to (i) visibility and social interaction, (ii) aetiology, needs and interventions, and (iii) rights and resources. RESULTS: A stratified, representative sample of 1204 adults took part in the survey; of these, 989 were aware of autism and their attitudes and behavioural projections reflected a mix of acceptance and denunciation. The level of confusion with regard to interventions reflected the general uncertainty within UK policy regarding meeting the needs of individuals on the autism spectrum (International Journal of Disability, Development and Education 61, 134, 2014a). CONCLUSION: Therefore, it seems that inclusion is working to an extent, but more clarity is needed with regard to adequate education, intervention and support for individuals with autism.

The Millennium child with autism: early childhood trajectories for health, education and economic wellbeing.

OBJECTIVE: Most of what we know about children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is based on post-diagnostic, retrospective, self-select studies. Oftentimes, there is no direct comparison between trajectories of children with ASD and children without ASD. METHODS: To circumvent both of these problems, the present secondary data analysis utilised a large-scale longitudinal general population survey of children born in the year 2000 (i.e. the Millennium Cohort Study; MCS; n = 18,522). Bi-annual MCS data were available from five data sweeps (children aged 9 months to 11 years of age). RESULTS: Pre-diagnostic data showed early health problems differentiated children later diagnosed with autism from non-diagnosed peers. Prevalence was much higher than previously estimated (3.5% for 11-year olds). Post-diagnosis, trajectories deteriorated significantly for the children with ASD and their families in relation to education, health and economic wellbeing. CONCLUSION: These findings raise many issues for service delivery and the rights of persons with disabilities and their families.

Why reinvent the wheel? A behaviour analyst's reflections on pedagogy for inclusion for students with intellectual and developmental disability.

The number of children identified as having intellectual or developmental disability is rising worldwide and their education has been found wanting. It has been said that "they simply need better teaching." At the same time, there is an increasing evidence base that pedagogy that is based on the discipline of behaviour analysis offers the best prospect for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. On the basis of this evidence, it is proposed that behaviour analysis should be applied more broadly to improve teaching for all children with intellectual or developmental disability.

Long-term effects of political violence: narrative inquiry across a 20-year period.

The study of long-term effects of political violence generally concentrates on effects of a single event or period of violence on individuals or groups of individuals and commonly relies on recollections from those who experienced violence a long time after the event. Against the backdrop of Northern Ireland's Troubles, in this article we use narrative inquiry methodology to explore the long-term effects of violence across a 20-year period on a different level. Using two sets of interview data, one collected 20 years ago during a period of intense violence and the other collected recently, after the ceasefires when levels of community violence had decreased, we allow for comparisons of contemporaneous experiences and personal narratives that illustrate differences and similarities across a 20-year period. Personal accounts of violent experiences, individual coping and psychological health, social support needs and provision, and political and cultural change mirrored fluctuating levels of community violence across time, showed growing levels of societal awareness of victims' issues and increasing levels of service provision, and illustrated the effects of postceasefire violence.