ASD and Evidence-Based Practices (EBP)

What are evidence-based practices?

Evidence-based practice is a term used to explain treatment models and intervention practices that have shown to be effective in clinical research studies. Organizations and agencies differ in their exact definition of evidence-based practice, but there is agreement that the interventions must show positive outcomes using careful assessment of current research that is reviewed by other scientists.

The American Psychological Association has defined evidence-based practice as “the integration of the best available research with clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics, culture, and preferences” (APA, 2001).

ASD and Evidence-based Practices

People with ASD, their families, and providers all want to select interventions that are appropriate for the prerson and lead to positive outcomes. While many interventions exist for autism only some are classified as evidence-based. The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorder (NPDC) currently identifies 27 interventions for autism as being evidence-based

Families and practitioners can use the Autism Focused Intervention Resources & Modules (AFIRM), a free online tool developed by the NPDC, to better understand current evidence-based practices and support implementation.