Characterizing therapist delivery of evidence-based intervention strategies in publicly funded mental health services for children with autism spectrum disorder: Differentiating practice patterns in usual care and AIM HI delivery.

LAY ABSTRACT: This study was conducted to identify patterns of therapist delivery of evidence-based intervention strategies with children with autism spectrum disorder receiving publicly funded mental health services and compare strategy use for therapists delivering usual care to those trained to deliver AIM HI ("An Individualized Mental Health Intervention for ASD"), an intervention designed to reduce challenging behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder. For therapists trained in AIM HI, intervention strategies grouped onto two factors, Autism Engagement Strategies and Active Teaching Strategies, while strategies used by usual care therapists grouped onto a broader single factor, General Strategies. Among usual care therapists, General Strategies were related to an increase in child behavior problems, whereas for AIM HI therapists, Active Teaching Strategies were related with reductions in child behavior problems over 18 months. Findings support the use of active teaching strategies in reducing challenging behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder and provide support for the effectiveness of training therapists in evidence-based interventions to promote the delivery of targeted, specific intervention strategies to children with autism spectrum disorder in mental health services.