Delays to Behavioral Therapy in Michigan for Children Diagnosed with Autism: A Summary of Needs Assessment Outcomes to Inform Public Policy Advocacy Initiatives

IF 2.1 Q2 PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL

Behavior Analysis in Practice Pub Date : 2023-12-29 DOI:10.1007/s40617-023-00896-9

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are eligible to receive behavioral health services in Michigan, including those based on the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA). Demand for these specific services far outpaces the number of qualified professionals in the state (Yingling et al., 2022), thus resulting in delayed access to a much-needed service. The purpose of our survey was twofold. First, we surveyed families throughout Michigan (N = 78) to identify the types of barriers encountered and the extent to which families of autistic individuals experience them when pursuing ABA services. Second, our survey assessed the needs of these families during service delays in an attempt to understand how to best support them during this time. Results indicated that 73% of children spent time on a waitlist, varying in duration from 1 month to over 1 year. Further, most caregivers indicated they were concerned about their children’s behavior while awaiting services and would have been interested in training to help them manage behavioral concerns and teach new skills to their children. We conclude by reviewing recommendations for addressing child and caregiver needs during this time and discussing implications for public policy advocacy initiatives.

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密歇根州被诊断患有自闭症的儿童行为治疗延迟：为公共政策宣传活动提供信息的需求评估结果摘要

摘要在密歇根州，被诊断患有自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）的儿童有资格接受行为健康服务，包括基于应用行为分析（ABA）原则的服务。对这些特定服务的需求远远超过了该州合格专业人员的数量（Yingling 等人，2022 年），因此导致了获得急需服务的延迟。我们的调查有两个目的。首先，我们对密歇根州的家庭（N = 78）进行了调查，以确定自闭症患者家庭在寻求 ABA 服务时遇到的障碍类型和程度。其次，我们的调查评估了这些家庭在服务延迟期间的需求，试图了解如何在此期间为他们提供最佳支持。结果显示，73% 的儿童在等待名单上花费了时间，时间长短不一，从 1 个月到 1 年多不等。此外，大多数照顾者表示，他们担心孩子在等待服务期间的行为，并希望接受培训，以帮助他们管理行为问题并向孩子传授新技能。最后，我们回顾了在此期间满足儿童和照顾者需求的建议，并讨论了对公共政策倡导倡议的影响。

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来源期刊

Behavior Analysis in Practice PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL-

自引率

18.20%

发文量

期刊介绍： Behavior Analysis in Practice, an official journal of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, is a peer-reviewed translational publication designed to provide science-based, best-practice information relevant to service delivery in behavior analysis. The target audience includes front-line service workers and their supervisors, scientist-practitioners, and school personnel. The mission of Behavior Analysis in Practice is to promote empirically validated best practices in an accessible format that describes not only what works, but also the challenges of implementation in practical settings. Types of articles and topics published include empirical reports describing the application and evaluation of behavior-analytic procedures and programs; discussion papers on professional and practice issues; technical articles on methods, data analysis, or instrumentation in the practice of behavior analysis; tutorials on terms, procedures, and theories relevant to best practices in behavior analysis; and critical reviews of books and products that are aimed at practitioners or consumers of behavior analysis.