A Practical Guide for Finding Interventions That Work for Autistic People

Dr. Susan Wilczynski is the Plassman Family Distinguished Professor at Ball State University, a licensed psychologist, and a board-certified behavior analyst. She holds a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion certificate from Cornell University. Susan conducts research on training practitioners to use the diversity affirming evidence-based practice decision-making model, which strongly emphasizes social validity, quality of life, and person-centered care. She serves on the nursing division of Wolters-Kluwer Publishing House’s diversity advisory board. Susan is the former Coordinator for ABAI’s Practice Board, served on their Task Force for the Promotion of Quality and Values-Based ABA, and on their Licensing Committee. As the former Executive Director of the National Autism Center, she chaired the first National Standards Project, the most comprehensive systematic review of behavioral and educational interventions supporting Autistic people of its time. She developed the first center-based intervention program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Susan has edited and/or written multiple books, including Postsecondary Transition for College- or Career-Bound Autistic Students. She has published in numerous journals such as Behavior Analysis in Practice, Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, and Psychology in the Schools.

"As a practitioner committed to delivering compassionate, evidence-based care, I found A Practical Guide for Finding Interventions that Work for Autistic People, Second Edition to be an indispensable resource. Wilczynski’s focus on culturally sensitive, person-centered approaches fills a critical gap in our field, offering practical tools and insights for selecting interventions that are both effective and respectful of client autonomy. The inclusion of new chapters on diversity affirmation and ethics further elevates this guide, making it a must-read for any behavior analyst dedicated to social validity and meaningful client outcomes." -- Mychal Machado, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA, University of Alaska Anchorage"Every practitioner and trainee who works with or aspires to work with autistic people should read this book. It goes beyond evidence-based practice to integrating compassion and respect with effective practice to recognize the impact of and honor the experience of autistic people with intersectional identities. The perspectives of autistic people who have shared concerns about the way they are treated come through loud and clear to motivate and inspire practitioners to prioritize autonomy, dignity, and the individual’s preferences, when identifying effective and culturally adapted interventions. about making ethical decisions. This book will be required reading in our BCBA preparation program!" -- Jennifer McComas, The University of Minnesota, College of Education and Human Development

• Section I: Evidence-based practice as a treatment selection model.1. A brief overview2. Ethics and evidence-based practiceSection II: Sources and strength of evidence3. Evidence: Critically evaluating outcomes of single-subject research design studies4. Systematic reviews5. Alternate sources of evidence6. Overestimating or underestimating evidence in behavior analysisSection III: Social Validity and Initial Intervention Selection7. Three dimensions of social validity8. Social validity and your client9. Social validity and interested partiesSection IV: Professional Judgment10. Research alone is not the answer11. Consensus-building without marginalizing Autistic clients12. Initial intervention selection13. Progress monitoring14. What next?Section V: Conclusions15. Putting it all together for ethical service delivery