Project Activities
The research team will evaluate Project DATA, a comprehensive preschool intervention for children with ASD, using a two-arm randomized trial. Twelve schools will participate, each with at least 10 children with clinical levels of ASD symptoms. Classrooms will be randomly assigned to the experimental or comparison (standard care) condition, and children will be randomized to classrooms. Outcomes of the intervention include child cognition, language, social skills, and behavior. The investigators will also examine whether various child-level variables (e.g., gender, age, severity of ASD symptoms) moderate the impact of the intervention, and whether family functioning and satisfaction with the intervention serve as potential mediators.
Structured Abstract
Setting
The research will take place in preschool classrooms in Oklahoma and Washington.
Sample
Preschool children with autism spectrum disorders in approximately 12 schools will participate. Each participating school will have a minimum of 10 preschoolers enrolled annually with clinical levels of ASD symptoms.
Intervention
Project DATA is a comprehensive early intervention for preschoolers. The model blends practices from the fields of applied behavior analysis (ABA), early childhood education, and early childhood special education, enabling elements of ABA treatment to be more feasible for use in real-world child settings. Model components include (1) an integrated early childhood experience in a natural setting, including teaching children to interact successfully with other children; (2) extended day, intensive instruction (one-on-one and small group); (3) technical and social support for families; (4) collaboration and coordination across services; and (5) the quality of life influenced curriculum, which teaches children skills for independence and successful integration across school and community settings.
Research design and methods
The study will use a two-arm randomized clinical trial with children randomized to classrooms and classrooms randomized to the experimental (Project DATA) or control condition. Randomization will be stratified by state and follow a dynamic allocation procedure that balances groups on key substrata, including gender, age, ASD severity, and IQ. Teachers in the treatment classrooms will receive a week-long intensive training with hands-on experience and monitoring with in vivo coaching. Data will be collected for up to 2 years on the primary cognitive, language, and social outcomes of interest at baseline (pre-randomization) and quarterly (every 3 months) thereafter. Executive functioning and adaptive behavior outcomes will be measured at baseline and at the end of the school year. Fidelity checks will occur monthly, along with visits to provide teachers coaching.
Control condition
The control condition will consist of usual practices provided in local school district preschool classrooms.
Key measures
This study will use a variety of standardized and nonstandardized measures. The PDD Behavioral Inventory will be used as a diagnostic assessment. Outcomes will be measured using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning and Preschool Language Scale–4thEdition, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale–2nd Edition, Preschool Kindergarten Behavior Scales–2nd Edition, and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function–Preschool. The researchers will also administer surveys of family variables, observational assessments of child engagement and toy play, treatment fidelity checklists, and consumer satisfaction surveys. Finally, interviews and focus groups will be used to obtain data on intervention feasibility and acceptability.
Data analytic strategy
Multilevel modeling will be the primary analytic test of intervention efficacy, examining group differences in change over time and structured testing of mediating and moderating influences. For ordinal variables, generalized linear mixed modeling will be used. Qualitative data on feasibility and acceptability of the intervention will be transcribed and coded by thematic category.
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Products and publications
Products: The products of this project will include evidence of the efficacy of Project DATA for preschool children with ASD, peer-reviewed publications, and presentations.
Book
Schwartz, I. S.; McBride, B. J. (2016). Project DATA (Developmentally Appropriate Treatment for Autism Manual: Blending Approaches to Meet Individual Needs. Paul Brookes Publishing Co.
Journal article, monograph, or newsletter
Schwartz, I.S., Thomas, C.J., McBride, B.J., and Sandall, S.R. (2013). A School-Based Preschool Program for Children With ASD: A Quasi-Experimental Assessment of Child Change in Project DATA. School Mental Health, 5(4): 221-232. doi:10.1007/s12310-013-9103-7
Related projects
Supplemental information
Co-Principal Investigator: Ilene Schwartz (University of Washington)
The purpose of this research is to evaluate Project DATA for preschool children using a randomized controlled trial. The research team will examine the impact of the intervention on child cognition, language, social skills, and behavior. They will also investigate potential child-level moderators as well as family functioning and satisfaction as potential mediators of intervention effects.
Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.
