Effect of Culturally Adapted Dental Visual Aids on Oral Hygiene Status during Dental Visits in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence has escalated in the last few decades; it is common to have children with ASD seek dental treatment. Their unique behavior patterns prevent them from attending a regular dental setting and receiving proper oral hygiene instructions (OHI); therefore, culturally adapted dental visual aids are necessary to teach them proper OHI. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of culturally adapted dental visual aids in improving oral hygiene (OH) status in children with ASD. A blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial with sixty-four children with ASD were randomly divided into two groups according to the type of dental visual aids given to them. The experimental group received culturally adapted dental visual aids developed specifically for the study, and the control group received regular dental visual aids. OH status was assessed before and after using the dental visual aids, and data were processed using SPSS version 25.0. OH status improved significantly in both groups after using the dental visual aids (p < 0.001, p < 0.001), respectively. The experimental group showed significant improvement in comparison to the control group in OH status (p = 0.030). Both dental visual aids showed effectiveness in improving OH status in children with ASD.

Vocational Training in Virtual Environments for People With Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Systematic Review

People with neurodevelopmental disorders are often considered unsuitable or incapable of working in open employment. When employment is available, tasks are often limited, and opportunities for career development are restricted. Policy and funding constraints leave people with disabilities without an opportunity to develop skills due to the additional time and costs for employers. To overcome these barriers, virtual environments have been proposed as a safe and reliable solution for training. An important prerequisite for a wider uptake of training in virtual environments are demonstrations that the training leads to improved performance in the real world. This is particularly true for people with neurodevelopmental disorders, as transferring learnings from one context to another can be challenging. A systematic review was conducted to assess whether training in virtual environments can be used to improve real-world vocational skills in people with neurodevelopmental disorders. After a systematic search in six databases, eight out of the initially identified 1,806 articles met the inclusion criteria. The findings from these eight studies demonstrate that people with neurodevelopmental disorders can transfer vocational skills from virtual environments to real-world settings. With substantial technological improvements, a surge in accessibility, and improved affordability, there is a need to build upon the promising results identified in this review.

Self-management interventions for people with intellectual disabilities: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

People with intellectual disabilities (ID) often experience difficulties managing their affairs. This study reviewed self-management interventions for people with mild to moderate ID, studying interventions' effectiveness and applied behavioural change techniques (BCTs).

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, PsychINFO, Web of Science, Embase, Emcare, Cochrane, and ProQuest. Data were extracted on study, intervention, and participant characteristics, and results.

RESULTS

Of the 681 studies retrieved, 36 met the inclusion criteria. Most studies used case study designs and small samples. There were eight randomised controlled trials and one non-randomised study. Studies were mostly of moderate quality (Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool). Twenty-two interventions targeted a singular practical skill for a specific context. In allinterventions, the provider applied several BCTs; in 13 studies participants were also trained to apply BCTs themselves. In all studies, improvements in self-management were reported, which mostly maintained over time (n = 20). If measured, generalisation to other settings was also found.

CONCLUSIONS

Future studies should aim for a higher methodological quality and couldconsider targeting more generic self-management and a wider application of BCTs by people with ID themselves.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The findings suggest that training can promote self-management in people with ID.

An evaluation of textual prompts and generalized textual instruction-following

The benefit of permanent prompts depends on the extent to which their use is generalized. Previous research has demonstrated both control by and efficacy of pictorial prompts (e.g., Phillips & Vollmer, 2012). The present studies similarly evaluated stimulus control by textual prompts. Six school aged children with intellectual disabilities were taught to complete four 5-step instructional sets under the control of textual prompts. All 6 subjects showed some generalization to the final set. The results suggest that training served 1 of 3 purposes: (a) established control by the textual prompts or the ordinal sequence thereof, (b) addressed a reading deficit, or (c) addressed the lack of a motivating operation during baseline. Training a single task sequence may not be sufficient for acquisition of generalized textual instruction-following. However, establishing appropriate stimulus control by the textual prompts may facilitate acquisition of a generalized repertoire.

Improving the occupational skills of students with intellectual disability by applying video prompting combined with dance pads

BACKGROUND

Individuals with intellectual disability (ID) are prone to inattention, are slow in learning and reaction, and have deficits in memory skills. Providing proper vocational education and training for individuals with intellectual disability is able to enhance their occupational skills.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study applied video prompting to provide instructional prompts to help participants accurately perform an assigned occupational activity. A control system installed with developed software was used to turn a standard dance pad into a sensor to detect the participants' standing position and to automatically trigger video prompting.

RESULTS

The results show that the participants' correct performance of the target behaviour improved significantly after their exposure to the video prompting intervention, and this positive outcome remained consistent during the maintenance phase.

CONCLUSION

Video prompting combined with dance pads was a feasible approach to improving the occupational skills of the three students with intellectual disability.

The effects of video modeling in teaching functional living skills to persons with ASD: A meta-analysis of single-case studies

BACKGROUND

Many individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) show deficits in functional living skills, leading to low independence, limited community involvement, and poor quality of life. With development of mobile devices, utilizing video modeling has become more feasible for educators to promote functional living skills of individuals with ASD.

AIMS

This article aims to review the single-case experimental literature and aggregate results across studies involving the use of video modeling to improve functional living skills of individuals with ASD.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

The authors extracted data from single-case experimental studies and evaluated them using the Tau-U effect size measure. Effects were also differentiated by categories of potential moderators and other variables, including age of participants, concomitant diagnoses, types of video modeling, and outcome measures.

OUTCOMES AND RESULTS

Results indicate that video modeling interventions are overall moderately effective with this population and dependent measures. While significant differences were not found between categories of moderators and other variables, effects were found to be at least moderate for most of them.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

It is apparent that more single-case experiments are needed in this area, particularly with preschool and secondary-school aged participants, participants with ASD-only and those with high-functioning ASD, and for video modeling interventions addressing community access skills.

Development and Pilot Testing of a Healthy Eating Video-Supported Program for Adults with Developmental Disabilities

Video technology is a potentially effective means to teach individuals with developmental disabilities (DD) about healthy eating. Research in this area, however, is relatively unexplored. This study developed and tested a video intervention to teach healthy eating to adults with DD. A 5-segment educational video, an accompanying workbook, and a facilitator guide were developed to teach basic healthy eating concepts to adults with DD. Twelve adults with DD took part in a 5-week educational program led by trained facilitators using the materials created. Pre- and posttests were used to measure knowledge gained from participating in the intervention. Seventy-five percent (n = 9) of participants improved their knowledge scores, 8% (n = 1) maintained residue knowledge, and 17% (n = 2) had a decrease in their score. Video instructions can be an effective intervention modality to increase knowledge in adults with DD about healthy eating. Key enablers identified for participants' knowledge gain included video content developed based on the learning need and cognitive level of intended users; program delivered by facilitators trained in effective teaching strategies; and engaging the participants' staff, family, and caregivers to provide ongoing reinforcement about healthy eating.

Effects of video modelling on emerging speech in an adult with traumatic brain injury: preliminary findings

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE

Research has shown that traumatic brain injury (TBI) can affect a person's ability to perform previously learned skills. Dysexecutive syndrome and inattention, for example, alongside a number of other cognitive and behavioural impairments such as memory loss and lack of motivation, significantly affect day-to-day functioning following TBI. This study examined the efficacy of video modelling in emerging speech in an adult male with TBI caused by an assault.

RESEARCH DESIGN

In an effort to identify functional relations between this novice intervention and the target behaviour, experimental control was achieved by using within-system research methodology, overcoming difficulties of forming groups for such an highly non-homogeneous population.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

Across a number of conditions, the participant watched a videotape in which another adult modelled a selection of 19 spoken words. When this modelled behaviour was performed in vivo, then generalization across 76 other words in the absence of a videotape took place.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS

It was revealed that video modelling can promote the performance of previously learned behaviours related to speech, but more significantly it can facilitate the generalization of this verbal behaviour across untrained words.

CONCLUSIONS

Video modelling could well be added within the rehabilitation programmes for this population.

Moderating factors of video-modeling with other as model: a meta-analysis of single-case studies

Video modeling with other as model (VMO) is a more practical method for implementing video-based modeling techniques, such as video self-modeling, which requires significantly more editing. Despite this, identification of contextual factors such as participant characteristics and targeted outcomes that moderate the effectiveness of VMO has not previously been explored. The purpose of this study was to meta-analytically evaluate the evidence base of VMO with individuals with disabilities to determine if participant characteristics and targeted outcomes moderate the effectiveness of the intervention. Findings indicate that VMO is highly effective for participants with autism spectrum disorder (IRD=.83) and moderately effective for participants with developmental disabilities (IRD=.68). However, differential effects are indicated across levels of moderators for diagnoses and targeted outcomes. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Evaluation of two instruction methods to increase employment options for young adults with autism spectrum disorders

We evaluated the efficacy of a vocational training program including behavioral skills training, and a "performance cue system" (i.e., a proprietary iPhone application adapted for the study) to teach targeted social-vocational skills to six young adults with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. In two separate studies, participants were employed to assist in the delivery of a fire safety education program. Participants were asked to wear an inflatable firefighter WalkAround® mascot costume and to perform 63 scripted behaviors in coordination with a fire prevention specialist who was the lead program presenter. In Study 1, three participants were initially exposed to established company training procedures comprised of behavioral skills training components to determine whether they met mastery of the skills. If necessary to reach criteria, participants were then exposed to a performance cue system. In Study 2, three additional participants were provided with the performance cue system alone, and then behavioral skills training if required. A single case, multiple-baseline design across subjects was used to evaluate efficacy of each intervention. Results indicate that 5 of 6 participants reached criterion only after introduction of the cue system while the sixth reached criterion with behavioral skills training alone. The program received high satisfaction ratings from participants, their parents, and consumers. Implications and potential use of the PCS in other employment settings are discussed.

Standard care and telecare services: comparing the effectiveness of two service systems with consumers with intellectual disabilities

BACKGROUND

Onsite standard care and remote telecare supports were provided to adults with intellectual disabilities living in integrated community settings and evaluated in terms of effectiveness as consumers completed a series of novel household activities.

METHODS

Using an alternating treatment design with baseline and follow-up conditions in this single-case study, investigators compared the prompting effectiveness provided by onsite standard care staff and a remote telecare provider.

RESULTS

While both types of supports resulted in consumers completing tasks, results indicated consumers achieved slightly more independence when prompted by the telecare support provider. Additionally, telecare supports resulted in greater duration for task completion per consumer.

CONCLUSIONS

Although consumers completed tasks with greater independence using telecare supports, caution should be used when interpreting results due to the small number of participants. The potential for this technology certainly exists in supporting consumers in their own homes thus, suggestions for future investigations are provided.

Creating activity schedules using Microsoft Powerpoint

We describe how PowerPoint presentation software can be used to create computer activity schedules to teach individuals with special needs. Presented are the steps involved in creating activity schedules with close-ended and open-ended activities, and for preparing schedules that include photos, sounds, text, and videos that can be used to occasion an individual's engagement in a variety of learning activities.