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ABA Versus TEACCH: The Case for Defining and Validating Comprehensive Treatment Models in Autism

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Abstract

The authors analyzed the results of a social validation survey to determine if autism service providers including special education teachers, parents, and administrators demonstrate a preference for the intervention components of Applied Behavior Analysis or Training and Education of Autistic and other Communication Handicapped Children. They also investigated the comprehensiveness of these treatment models for use in public school programs. The findings indicate no clear preference for either model, but a significantly higher level of social validity for components inherent in both approaches. The authors discuss the need for research to define what is meant by comprehensive programming in autism.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Julie Ray and Stacey Callaway, UNT Project STARS autism research and leadership doctoral program, for their assistance in data collection and analysis and identifying subject matter experts. We also thank Kristin Farmer, Autism Comprehensive Education Services, Inc., California, for her assistance with the expert validation process.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Psychology, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #311335, Denton, TX, 76203-5017, USA

    Kevin Callahan, Smita Shukla-Mehta & Min Wie

  2. Department of Behavior Analysis, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle, Box 310919, Denton, TX, 76203, USA

    Sandy Magee

Authors
  1. Kevin Callahan
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  2. Smita Shukla-Mehta
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  3. Sandy Magee
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  4. Min Wie
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Correspondence to Smita Shukla-Mehta.

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Callahan, K., Shukla-Mehta, S., Magee, S. et al. ABA Versus TEACCH: The Case for Defining and Validating Comprehensive Treatment Models in Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 40, 74–88 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-009-0834-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-009-0834-0

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