Public School–Based Interventions for Adolescents and Young Adults With an Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

This article reviews research on the effectiveness of four categories of intervention when implemented in public schools with adolescents and young adults diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. The study’s inclusionary criteria include a setting of public schools, participants aged between 12 and 22 years, and the investigation of an antecedent-, consequence-, self-management-, or video-based intervention strategy to influence skills or behaviors in students. A total of 34 studies met these criteria. The procedures of the What Works Clearinghouse Standards for Single-Case Designs and Evidence are used to evaluate whether sufficient high-quality research in using antecedent-, consequence-, self-management-, and video-based strategies exists to consider these evidence-based practices. Intervention effectiveness is estimated using PAND scores and phi coefficients. The results suggest that sufficient research exists to consider antecedent-, video-, and consequence-based interventions evidence-based practices for adolescents and young adults in public schools. The need for more applied research with adolescents and young adults is highlighted.