Relevance and Replication

The National Standards Project (Phases 1 and 2) are among seven recent, nationally recognized systematic reviews studying the effectiveness of ASD interventions.

Given their similarities, why are they significant?

In any science, it is critical to replicate results. Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the National Standards Project evaluated both single-subject  research and group design intervention outcome studies. Including both types of research design in the systematic review allowed us to evaluate simple and multi-component behavioral interventions. Similarly, the National Professional Development Center (NPDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) evaluated single-subject and group design studies resulting in similar findings.

However, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) did not include the vast majority of single-subject research studies, resulting in no evaluation of many applied behavior analytic interventions. This type of methodological difference will impact replication of results.

Replication by research groups builds consensus about what is necessary to improve outcomes for individuals with ASD. It is now a matter of getting practitioners and parents trained to implement these procedures.

Note: The CMS review utilized the classification system described in the National Standards Report.