ONTABA
Conference 2008 - Weekend Workshops
Workshop #1
Introduction
to the York System of Quality Assurance (YSQA) for IBI programs
for children with autism and the York Measure of Quality of IBI
(YMQI)
TYPE OF SUBMISSION: Workshop
(6 hours)
AUTHORS & AFFILIATIONS:
Julie Koudys, M.A.
Alice Prichard, M.A.
Helen Penn, M.A.
Kate Sheese, B.A.
Adrienne Perry, Ph.D., C. Psych., BCBA
c/o Dr. Adrienne Perry
Department of Psychology, Behavioural Sciences Building 219
York University
4700 Keele Street
Toronto, ON M3J 1P3
Phone: (416) 736-2100 ext. 33765 Fax: (416) 736-5814
Email: perry@yorku.ca
ABSTRACT:
Intensive Behavioural
Intervention (IBI) is increasingly recognized as the most effective
treatment intervention for individuals with autism. As a result,
a proliferation of publicly and privately funded IBI programs has
been witnessed world-wide. These programs endeavor to achieve outcomes
equivalent to those described in the behavioural literature. However,
although there is research linking treatment quantity to outcome,
few attempts have been made to link characteristics of treatment
quality to outcome. This gap makes it difficult to know which treatment
characteristics are essential to producing best outcomes and even
harder to know how these characteristics should be measured. Few
resources exist that describe important characteristics of high
quality IBI and suggest how these characteristics could be measured.
Our research team has developed two tools, based on an extensive
review of the behavioural literature, existing IBI staff evaluation
tools and data from a survey of clinicians and parents. Together,
these tools, the York System of Quality Assurance (YSQA) and the
York Measure of Quality of IBI (YMQI), provide a comprehensive system
for measuring the quality of IBI programs.
• The YSQA, which
was commissioned by the Regional Autism Programs of Ontario Network,
provides a set of modules, each designed to assess performance quality
within a different service area, including quality of direct teaching,
curriculum programming, and administrative and organizational factors.
The YMQI is designed
to code videotapes of IBI sessions for technical and clinical quality.
It iscomprised of nine characteristics of good quality IBI (e.g.,
appropriate reinforcement). For each of these characteristics, 2
to 6 specific behaviours are assessed, resulting in a total of 31
items. Items are rated on a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 3. Measures
of internal consistency, inter-rater reliability and criterion-related
validity suggest that the YMQI is a psychometrically reliable and
valid measure of IBI quality. In addition, combinations of items
on the measure can be used to evaluate the following constructs:
Organization, Pacing, Teaching Level, and Generalization.
The purpose of this workshop
is to introduce participants to both the YSQA and the YMQI and provide
opportunities for hands-on practice using the tools. In addition,
the empirical foundation and theoretical framework of the YSQA will
be described, as will the psychometric properties of the YMQI.
WORKSHOP LEVEL: Intermediate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will be able to:
• Understand the theoretical framework and empirical foundations
of the YSQA
• Use the “Checklists” within the YSQA to collect
data from a variety of information sources including live observation,
video observation, clinical files and organizational/human resource
files
• Input collected data into the YSQA in order to assess program
quality in the areas of Quality of Teaching, Quality of Programming,
and Quality of Administrative and Organizational Factors
• Describe the psychometric properties of the YMQI
• Describe how scores on the YMQI can be combined to determine
an overall score of teaching quality and to evaluate constructs
such as Organization, Pacing, Teaching Level, and Generalization
• Score videotapes of direct teaching using certain items
on the YMQI (Additional training through an interactive DVD tutorial
would be necessary to be proficient on all YMQI items.).
WORKSHOP ACTIVITIES:
This workshop will include didactic presentation, review of checklists
and score forms, and opportunities to practice completing checklists
and score forms from videotapes, clinical examples, and direct teaching
programs.
TARGET AUDIENCE:
Practitioners in the field of autism and behavioural intervention,
including BCBAs, behavioural therapists, psychologists, educational
professionals, or anyone supervising school-, centre-, or home-based
IBI programs.
Workshop
#2
An Introduction
to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (and How ACT Can Help Parents
with Children Diagnosed with Developmental Delays)
Presenter: Daniel J. Moran, Ph.D., BCBA
Abstract:
Acceptance and
Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a mindfulness, acceptance, and
values-based psychotherapy, grounded in the behavior analytic tradition.
ACT attempts to influence the normal impact of human cognition in
order to increase the client’s capacity for behavior change.
The Case Conceptualization in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
workshop will provide a step-by-step framework for functionally
conceptualizing client behavior problems, and will discuss selection
and application of specific ACT interventions.
Attendees will
become familiar with the six core ACT principles of defusion, self-as-context,
acceptance, values, committed action, and contacting the present
moment, and will become able to conceptualize clinically relevant
behaviors as functional response classes, and discriminate when
they are amenable to an ACT approach.
There will be
a 90 minute slide presentation about the core prinicples, and will
also include experiential exercises and case-based practice. Participants
will be provided with handouts to use with their clients for assessment
and homework assignments to augment in session interventions. Worksheets
will also be distributed for the participants to use to facilitate
ACT case formulation.
Especially for
ONTABA, Dr. Moran will include data and case examples related to
using ACT for helping parents with the distress involved in working
with children diagnosed with developmental delays and autism.
Contact information:
Daniel J. Moran, Ph.D., BCBA
62 W. Washington Street
Joliet, IL 60432
815-735-0732 (cell)
djmoran@trinity-services.org
