The Type, Severity, and Impact of Sleep Problems in Children With Angelman Syndrome and Parental Help-seeking Patterns.

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare genetic developmental disability that presents with high rates of co-occurring sleep difficulties. Most existing research has focused on the pathophysiology of sleep problems in people with AS, and suggests that sleep problems are the result of genetic and neurobiological factors. However, little is known about the role of the social environment and learning in sleep problems in children with AS. This descriptive study used survey data from 139 parents of children with AS to investigate: 1) the type, topography and severity of children's sleep problems; 2) the collateral child, parent and family impacts of the sleep problems; 3) treatment selection practices and the perceived effectiveness of these treatments; and 4) sources of support and treatment advice received. Parents reported that the majority of children experienced sleep problems, resulting in numerous deleterious effects on child and family functioning. They also reported high levels of concern about these sleep problems, but low levels of perceived support. Study findings highlight the need to establish a disability-specific profile of the type and impact of sleep problems experienced by children with AS, and have further implications for the delivery of clinical services and support provided to parents of children with AS.

Quantitative Analysis of Sexuality and Relationship Education in Inclusive Higher Education: Brief Report.

Inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs support adults with intellectual disabilities' participation in higher education. Students in IPSE programs may have limited knowledge of sexuality, relationships, and social skills, which can be addressed through sexuality and relationship education (SRE). This project evaluated the effect of the Positive Choices© curriculum on the SRE knowledge of 7 students attending an IPSE program in the southeastern United States. Students attended 15 weekly classes taught by two graduate assistants and faculty supervisor during spring 2020; half of course meetings occurred in person and half via Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions. The authors analyzed results of pre-post one sample t-test of student scores on five instructor-created assessments. All students showed statistically significant increases in knowledge for each assessment and overall. Future research should assess the effect of other curricula in use in IPSE programs and evaluate the need for and use of supplemental materials for instruction.

Incorporating Technology into Instruction in Early Childhood Classrooms: a Systematic Review.

Objectives: The purpose of this review is to describe the variety and effectiveness of instructional technologies used in the early childhood setting. Methods: A systematic review of three databases was completed, and studies were reviewed by two independent coders to determine if they met inclusion criteria. Studies were excluded from this review if (a) the technology was used to train teachers and was not directly used with early childhood students, (b) participants were all enrolled in 2nd grade or higher, (c) the setting was not an early childhood education setting, or (d) studies were descriptive in nature or utilized a survey methodology. Data were extracted from each article related to participant characteristics, setting characteristics, research design, technology type, and dependent variables. Results: Thirty-five studies met criteria were included in this review. A wide range of technologies were used to provide or facilitate instruction on (a) academics, (b) social and communication skills, and (c) cognitive skills. Academic outcomes targeted in Head Start preschools were the most common across studies. The results ranged from no effect to highly effective. Conclusions: The findings from the included studies varied widely in their outcomes from reporting no difference between traditional instruction and technology-aided instruction to reporting significant difference between groups or reporting a functional relation between the technology-based intervention and the target behavior or skill. Studies that included students identified with neurodevelopmental disorders demonstrated a positive impact in the outcomes of students who experience an intervention that included technology-aided instruction. Future research is needed to identify critical components of effective technology-based interventions in early childhood educational settings.

Attributions, causal beliefs, and help-seeking behavior of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and sleep problems.

LAY ABSTRACT: Sleep problems are commonly reported among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Without effective treatment, such problems are unlikely to resolve. To date, we know very little about how and why parents of children with ASD seek help for sleep disturbance. Via an online survey, we gathered information about how parents make sense of their children's sleep problems, beliefs about their causes, sources of information, and help-seeking behavior. The analysis of responses from 244 parents revealed that parents commonly view sleep problems (a) as a consequence of their child's ASD, and unlikely to change over time (stable), and (b) as located within the child (intrinsic), stable over time, and difficult to treat. Despite this, parents also rated sleep problems as being important to treat. Eighty-two percent of parents surveyed reported seeking some kind of help for their child's sleep disturbance, and the average parent had tried six different treatment strategies, most commonly medical approaches (e.g. melatonin). The alignment between parents' treatment choices and those strategies that are supported by research was poor, but belief in the effectiveness of treatments was closely related to how often the treatment was used. These findings have important implications for parental education and clinical practice in the treatment of sleep problems in children with ASD.

Fingerspelling and Print: Understanding the Word Reading of Deaf Children.

Fingerspelling and its relationship with literacy skills among deaf and hard of hearing children who use American Sign Language is an increasingly popular research topic. However, there is limited research on whether reading interventions that systematically include fingerspelling are more effective for improving literacy skills than reading interventions that do not. In an adapted alternating-treatment single-case study, the authors contrasted the number of words learned under three conditions: a productive fingerspelling condition, in which word reading was taught through activities that emphasized productive fingerspelling; a chaining condition, in which teachers chained written words with receptive fingerspelling; and a sign-to-print condition, in which fingerspelling was not used. Five of the 6 participants learned most of the words taught with no differentiation by condition. Participants could recognize and fingerspell taught words, even if those words were not taught via fingerspelling.

Interventions for Repetitive Behavior in Young Children with Autism: A Survey of Behavioral Practices.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) display social-communication deficits and present with rigid and repetitive patterns of behavior and/or interests (RRBIs). Compared to interventions for social-communication skills, less attention has been given to RRBIs, especially with regard to interventions for young children. We surveyed 128 behavior analysts who implemented interventions for young children with ASD on their use of 16 practices and one assessment for the treatment of RRBIs. The majority of our sample perceived the practices to be effective in producing sustainable behavior change. Behavior analysts generally responded in the same way to items about reinforcement-based practices, punishment-based practices, and a group of commonly packaged antecedent and consequence-based package components. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Play to Teach: Coaching Paraeducators to Facilitate Communication in the Preschool Classroom.

Paraeducators are ideal candidates for delivering communication interventions to children with developmental disabilities and delays (DD) because they spend a significant amount of time with these children. However, professional development is often inadequate and limited research supports best practices. Additionally, paraeducators work with multiple children with varying skill levels. Little research has been conducted on the use of existing strategies with multiple children. This single-case study examines the effect of a training package on paraeducators' fidelity of intervention implementation with a child dyad and subsequent child outcomes. Results suggest that formal coaching contributed to improved fidelity of intervention implementation. Furthermore, paraeducators were able to use intervention strategies with children with varying communication skills and goals. Variable increases in child communication were also detected.