Content Area Editor: Robert K. Ross, Ed.D. BCBA-D
Treatment/Interventions contained within this site will be subject to review of both the individual journal articles as well as the overall status of the research on the treatment/intervention itself. This review will result in a designation of the status of the research support for the use of the treatment/intervention. In many cases specific recommendations for use of the procedure will also be noted.
YOU MAY APPLY TO BE TRAINED TO CONDUCT REVIEWS OF ARTICLES AND CONTENT AREAS FOR THIS SITE- PLEASE GO TO THE SUBMIT CONTENT TO BEHAVIORPEDIA SECTION FOR DETAILS
Status of Intervention Categories: Once the peer reviewed literature on a specific treatment has been reviewed, a determination of the content area editors and the Behaviorpedia editorial board will be made with respect to the level of Empirical Support for the intervention being evaluated.
It will be categorized as one of the following :
1. Empirically Supported Treatment Procedure: The peer reviewed studies identified have sufficient quality and positive findings meeting the Behaviorpedia standards to enable the procedure to be considered an “Empirically Supported Treatment”.
2. Primarily Positive Outcome Studies: The body of research literature shows primarily or exclusively positive outcomes, however, a number of concerns suggest that more research is warranted prior to categorizing the procedure as “empirically validated”. These concerns may include:
a) Limited number and variety of subjects (Generalization concerns)
b) Limited replication of the positive findings
c) External validity concerns of some of the studies (a minority)
3. Conflicting Findings: This category is defined by the fact that objective valid studies have identified both positive findings and have also shown a lack of treatment effect.
4. Primarily Negative Findings: This category is defined by the fact that objective valid studies have identified primarily negative findings. (defined below)
a) Lack of treatment effects or minimal treatment effects
b) Treatment effects occur but attributable to factors other than the intervention
c) Potential detrimental health/safety concerns identified
6. No Experimentally Sound Studies Identified: This category is used when the task force is unable to identify any instances of valid studies (containing experimentally sound single subject research designs) in the published peer reviewed literature. In these cases the behavior analyst should not implement these procedures except in the context of a systematic analysis of the procedure for validation purposes.
Treatments not yet reviewed by Behaviorpedia staff will be designated “Not Yet Reviewed”, Behavior Analysts are encouraged to complete RAEF forms on the identified studies in categories that have not yet received a designation.