Episode 72: Breaking the Mold: Dr. Kristen Bottema-Beutel’s Quest for High-Quality and Ethical ABA Research

In Episode 72, Ben chats with Kristen Bottema-Beutel, Ph.D.  Much of Kristen's research is in the area of research ethics and quality. She and her team have analyzed countless autism intervention studies including many in applied behaviour analysis and has found some startling results. ABA research is especially problematic when it comes to a lack of randomization, failure to report conflicts of interest, and very little data on adverse events. This episode will change how you read and interpret research. 

Contact:

Kristen Bottema-Beutel

https://https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/lynch-school/faculty-research/faculty-directory/kristen-bottema-beutel.htmlwww.quadrantbxconsultation.com

Continuing Education Units (CEUs): https://cbiconsultants.com/shop

• BACB: 1.5 Ethics


• IBAO: 1.5 Ethics


• QABA: 1.5 Ethics

Links:

Matthew Nordii - Texada Tao

https://www.instagram.com/xingyibear/?hl=en

The Behaviour Speak Podcast Episodes Referenced:

Ariel Cascio

https://https://www.behaviourspeak.com/e/episode-28-including-autistic-people-in-every-aspect-of-autism-research-with-dr-m-ariel-cascio-phd/www.behaviourspeak.com/e/episode-8-artificial-intelligence-and-behaviour-analysis-with-marc-lanovaz-phd-bcba-d

Jeff Newman

https:/https://www.behaviourspeak.com/e/episode-58-the-realities-of-services-for-autistic-adults-with-jeff-newman-part-1//www.behaviourspeak.com/e/episode-20-consulting-in-group-homes-using-act-with-monica-peters-mads-bcba

https://www.behaviourspeak.com/e/episode-58-the-realities-of-services-for-autistic-adults-with-jeff-newman-part-2 

Research Referenced:

Sandbank, M., Bottema-Beutel, K., Crowley, S., Cassidy, M., Dunham, K., Feldman, J. I., Crank, J.,Albarran, S. A., Raj, S., Mahbub, P., & Woynaroski, T. G. (2019, November 25). Project AIM: Autism intervention meta-analysis for studies of young children. Psychological Bulletin. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/bul0000215

Bottema-Beutel K and Crowley S. (2021). Pervasive Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest in Applied Behavior Analysis Autism Literature. Frontiers in Psychology. 12:676303. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.676303 

Bottema-Beutel, K., Crowley, S., Sandbank, M., & Woynaroski, T. G. (2021). Adverse event reporting in intervention research for young autistic children. Autism, 25(2), 322–335. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361320965331

Bottema-Beutel, K., Crowley, S., Sandbank, M. and Woynaroski, T.G. (2021). Research Review: Conflicts of Interest (COIs) in autism early intervention research – a meta-analysis of COI influences on intervention effects. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 62, 5-15. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13249

Crank, J.E., Sandbank, M., Dunham, K., Crowley, S., Bottema-Beutel, K., Feldman, J. and Woynaroski, T.G. (2021), Understanding the Effects of Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions: A Project AIM Meta-analysis. Autism Research, 14, 817-834. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2471

Bottema-Beutel, K. (2023). We must improve the low standards underlying “evidence-based practice.” Autism, 27(2), 269–274. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221146441

Bottema-Beutel, K., LaPoint, S. C., Kim, S. Y., Mohiuddin, S., Yu, Q., & McKinnon, R. (2022). An evaluation of intervention research for transition-age autistic youth. Autism, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221128761

Kristen Bottema-Beutel, Steven K. Kapp, Jessica Nina Lester, Noah J. Sasson, and Brittany N. Hand. (2021). Avoiding Ableist Language: Suggestions for Autism Researchers. Autism in Adulthood, 18-29. http://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2020.0014

Risk of Bias Tool For Single Case Design:

Reichow, B., Barton, E. E., & Maggin, D. M. (2018). Development and applications of the single-case design risk of bias tool for evaluating single-case design research study reports. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 79, 53–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2018.05.008