Guiding Caregivers to Evidence-Based Practice

 

Evidence-based practice is often used by medical practitioners, especially when discussing healthcare provision. Most clinicians use this phrase when selecting an intervention to tackle disability and disorders such as autism spectrum disorder. However, not many people may understand the true meaning behind evidence-based practice (EBP).

What is Evidence-Based Practice?

Evidence-based practice may have taken root in modern-day medicine but has roots back in the 1800s. This process was initiated by Florence Nightingale to develop better and more effective ways to improve patient care and outcomes. Over the years, this process has had several definitions, with the American Psychological Association (2006) terming it as a balance between the best available research with clinical expertise based on the patient's culture, characteristics, and preferences.

For a clinician to employ EBP, they must use the best and most recent research, utilize their clinical expertise, and account for the patient's individual preferences. With this three-phased approach, they are able to improve patient outcomes and elevate the quality of care.

How to know if your Child's Clinician is using Evidence-Based Practice

Benner (1984) terms clinical expertise as a total of one's theoretical and practical knowledge. It can also refer to the clinician's educational background, certificates, licensure and firsthand working experience. Clinicians use these aspects of their practice to gain a sense of their clinical expertise or the ability to make informed decisions as to the best interest of the patients, especially those dealing with disability and autism spectrum disorder.

Before formulating an intervention, the clinician needs to engage the client or caregiver. This way, they can gain insight into the client's interests and dislikes. Clinicians can also take advantage of this opportunity to observe and record the client's reaction to various stimuli while discussing options for intervention.

Clinicians dealing with autism spectrum disorder are required to assess specific interventions and categorize them as:

●Unsupported interventions
●Empirically supported treatments
●Emerging treatments

The American Psychological Association (2006) defines empirically supported treatments as specific interventions that have proven effective after several tests and studies, including random, controlled trials with positive outcomes.

In summary, clinicians should leverage their academic knowledge, experience, patient preferences, and empirically supported treatments to make clinical decisions regarding autism spectrum disorder and disability. This way, they can help realize client goals and formulate the best approach to achieving them. If the clinician can show evidence of the three-phased approach, they have employed EBP.

Authority Behind which interventions are Evidence-Based?

A review of the effectiveness of interventions, especially for clinicians dealing with disability and autism spectrum disorder, was initiated by the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice (NCAEP; 2020). Before that, clinicians referred to publications by the National Autism Centre and Wong et al. (2015) that provided categorization.

 

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Contrasts And Likeness Between PBS And ABA

For the past few years, there have been arguments questioning if Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is a separate field from Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) or a continuation of current ABA strategies.

The Origin of ABA 

ABA is founded on research-based learning and behaviour principles to improve socially unusual behaviours. Socially appropriate actions that improve quality of life, health, and social inclusion can greatly help individuals, families, and colleagues. 

Some people have criticized ABA because they believe its applications and strategies are sometimes restricting and dogmatic. It didn't allow for skill development outside of the clinic. ABA has progressed remarkably since then, and it currently has a well-deserved image for being client- and child-centred.

The Behaviour Analysts' Code of Ethics (BACB, 2020) ensures that the positive behaviour support practitioner preserves ethical standards for the ABA program's people and families.

Positive Behavior Support Background

In the mid-1980s and early 1990s, PBS arose in response to earlier concerns regarding ABA methods. The current strategy of a positive behaviour support expert relies on attaining the best long-term results for people in realistic settings.

Positive behaviour support (PBS) focuses on proactive strategies used by a positive behaviour support practitioner to avoid inappropriate behaviour, eliminate restrictive practices, and improve individual and family participation. 

What is the Difference Between ABA and PBS, and How Do They Compare?

Where ABA distinguishes the most from PBS is in a scientific approach. Structural analyses are used in ABA to fully appreciate the purpose of a client's or child's behaviour by evaluating cause and effect utilizing an experimental test. ABA aims to change a person's environment to either reward or punish conduct for aiding development, whereas PBS aims to avoid changing a person's environment.

What are the lessons that ABA should learn from PBS?

Despite minor differences between the two techniques, ABA could learn from what PBS has attained in such a short time. PBS has grown rapidly among consumers, corporations, and educational institutions. Some of the primary factors that have led to the effectiveness of PBS and positive behaviour support physicians are as follows:

• Person-centered tactics
• Emphasis on motivating customers to make choices
• Involvement of family and friends
• Emphasis on a customer's level of life and right to choose

Professional counselors should embrace positive behaviour support practitioner work since it integrates core ABA notions and has become widely recognized and used by service providers. The fundamental science and an effort to serve what is right for our consumers bind both methods together.

At Lizard, we combine ABA and PBS strategies to help children with autism spectrum disorders. We know the history of both systems and the benefits they each provide. Feel free to contact one of our trained teammates if you want to understand more about the Lizard difference.

 

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Lizard Helps With Funding For Those With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Disabled citizens in Australia are able to seek assistance from the NDIS, and this is exciting but also a challenge. So, Lizard steps in to aid these families through its meticulously-researched information on how to receive NDIS funding for individuals with autism to take advantage of the resources they need in a timely manner. This help includes an all-encompassing program of behavioral intervention.

The NDIS funding benefit children at a very young age who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and are struggling with it daily. The funding will help to connect each child with a support system that will work on short and long-term goals, develop age-level skills, and educate them on community social skills and participating in these activities.

Lizard is committed to aiding families to help them find ways to gain access to NDIS autism funding. This assists in giving each family more options for supporting their child with behavioral intervention as early as possible. This program has a basis in Positive Behavior Supports as well as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). The ABA program bases its approach in research and a variety of intervention. Because of this, autistic children who participate the ABA program have shown resulted in positive results overall. That is why each program is customized to every child’s needs in the areas of community activities, overall developmental skills within their age level, and the complete care that each child needs.

Lizard assists with acquiring funds through the following process:

• Performing an initial developmental assessment to obtain results in your child’s strengths and weaknesses. The assessment is within a developmental sequence as well as norm-referenced to the child’s age level in order to easily determine your child’s results on the developmental range compared to other children at the same age level.
  

• Develop a synopsis of the developmental assessment for the planning conference

• Meet with you to come up with goals for your child

• Write out a Goals and Measurable Objectives report that summarizes long-term goals for your child that can be measured and are teachable objectives.
  

• Create a synopsis that explains Lizard’s resources and how they will be executed within the intervention strategies set forth for you child.
  

• Present reference material that supports your child’s need for ABA therapy funds

• Design, formulate, and give all required reports showing your child’s progress since beginning the ABA therapy.
  

At each planning conference, your child’s NDIS funding review will take place. This review is meant to ensure that the Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI) program is serving its purpose which is to have a developmentally positive affect on your child. If it is determined that your child is improving and hitting goals, then support from NDIS funding could be discontinued or follow your child through the next stage of development. NDIS funding will follow and adapt to each child’s new phase of development at each age level.

Getting in Touch to Learn More

Contact us to learn more about how to involve your child in a developmental program to help with behavior related to autism spectrum disorder. You can get our information packet and have a free phone consultation regarding a multitude of support for your child through NDIS autism funding. 

 

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