Important Publications on Applied Behavior Analysis
Behavioral Treatment and Normal Educational and Intellectual Functioning in Young Autistic Children O. Ivar Lovaas, UCLA (1987) - Abstract: Autism is a serious psychological disorder with onset in early childhood. Autistic children show minimal emotional attachment, absent or abnormal speech, [impaired] IQ, ritualistic behaviors, aggression, and self-injury. The prognosis is very poor, and medical therapies have not proven effective. This article reports the results of behavior modification treatment for two groups of similarly constituted, young autistic children. Follow-up data from an intensive, long-term experimental treatment group (n = 19) showed that 47% achieved normal intellectual and educational functioning, with normal-range IQ scores and successful first grade performance in public schools. Another 40% were mildly retarded and assigned to special classes for the language delayed, and only 10% were profoundly retarded and assigned to classes for the autistic. In contrast, only 2% of the control group children (n = 40) achieved normal educational and intellectual functioning; 45% were mildly retarded and placed in language-delayed classes, and 53% were severely retarded and placed in autistic classes.
Evidence for Effectiveness of ABA as a Treatment for Autism - Introduction This document summarizes medical and scientific evidence for effectiveness of applied behavior analysis (ABA) as a treatment for autism spectrum disorder. It includes: Peer-reviewed literature, Findings, studies or research conducted by or under the auspices of a federal government agency or a nationally recognized federal research institute, Clinical practice guidelines that meet Institute of Medicine criteria, Reports by other professional and governmental associations, Expert analysis by autism researchers, Legal rulings by courts of law, Decisions by Regulatory Agencies Documents listed in the first three categories (peer-reviewed literature, findings from federal government agencies or research institutes, and clinical practice guidelines meeting Institute of Medicine criteria) meet the requirements from Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) 836-053-1325 for medical, scientific, and cost effectiveness evidence for use by Independent Review Organizations in External Review decisions to determine whether a treatment is medically necessary, or is an experimental / investigational treatment.