Treatment Integrity

Abstract

The purpose of this study Was to assess the degree to Which behavioral intervention studies conducted With children diagnosed With autism operationally defined the independent variables (IVs) and evaluated treatment integrity (TI). The study replicated the criteria from Gresham, Gansle, and Noell (1993) and focused exclusively on research studies conducted With children diagnosed With autism Who Were age 18 years or younger. Results indicated that of the 60 studies that Were critically revieWed, 11 operationally defined the IVs and assessed TI. Conversely, the majority of the studies (n = 41) operationally defined the IVs yet did not assess TI. Last, 3 studies operationally defined the IVs and referred to TI Within the paper but provided no data, and 5 studies did not define IVs or assess TI.