Purpose of Review: The purpose of this review is to provide an update on the recent research (2016-2021) that evaluates the effectiveness of school-implemented interventions for students with autism (3-21 years old) from preschool to high school. Recent Findings: Overall, the recent literature demonstrated that there are EBPs that help students…

Educators often feel ill-equipped to support autistic students in general education contexts, although research shows that inclusion in these settings can contribute to positive outcomes. Professional development (PD) in evidence-based practices (EBPs) for autistic students can address this need; however, it is essential to understand the…

Key features of the school environment can have a significant impact on teachers' effective use of evidence-based practices (EBP), yet implementation-specific organizational constructs have rarely been studied in the education sector. This study examined three aspects of the organizational implementation context (implementation leadership,…

Key features of the school environment can have a significant impact on teachers' effective use of evidence-based practices (EBP), yet implementation-specific organizational constructs have rarely been studied in the education sector. This study examined three aspects of the organizational implementation context (implementation leadership,…

Schools, like other service sectors, are confronted with an implementation gap, with the slow adoption and uneven implementation of evidence-based practices (EBP) as part of routine service delivery, undermining efforts to promote better youth behavioral health outcomes. Implementation researchers have undertaken systematic efforts to publish…

Evidence-based practices (EBP) for children with autism are under-used in special-education schools. No research compared child-level versus teacher-level influences on EBP use, which could guide implementation strategies. We derived longitudinal profiles of EBP receipt by children (N = 234) in 69 autism-support classrooms, over an academic year.…

Background: The Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS) is a widely used tool, but it has not been adapted and validated for use in schools, the most common setting where youth access behavioral health services. This study examined the factor structure, psychometric properties, and criterion-related validity of the school-adapted EBPAS in a…

Implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the education system is a public health priority. Leadership is a critical driver of EBP implementation but little is known about the types of leadership behaviors exhibited by school leaders and how this influences the context of EBP implementation, particularly…

The increased prevalence of autism in the United States (1 in 54 youth) requires educators to implement evidence-based practices (EBPs). However, it is unclear which EBPs, if any, general and special education teachers and paraeducators are commonly trained to use or whether they consistently use those EBPs to support the inclusion of students…

Social impairment represents one of the most challenging core deficits of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and greatly affects children's school experiences; however, few evidence-based social engagement programs have been implemented and sustained in schools. This pilot study examined the implementation and sustainment of a social engagement…

Several interventions have demonstrated efficacy in improving social outcomes for children with autism, but they often are not used in schools. This study examined individual and organizational factors associated with the use of a research-informed social engagement intervention, Remaking Recess, for children with autism in elementary schools. A…

Few evidence-based practices, defined as the use of empirically supported research and clinical expertise for children with autism, have been successfully implemented and sustained in schools. This study examined the perspectives of school personnel (n = 39) on implementing a social engagement intervention for children with autism. Semi-structured…

Schools play a major role in delivering behavioral health services to autistic youth. School culture and climate are strong predictors of the extent to which these services incorporate evidence-based practices; however, little is known about how school leaders shape culture and climate. Drawing on the concept of culture and climate embedding…

Background: Integrated healthcare delivered by work groups in nontraditional service settings is increasingly common, yet contemporary implementation frameworks typically assume a single organization--or organizational unit--within which system-level processes influence service quality and implementation success. Recent implementation frameworks…

Background: A substantial literature has established the role of the inner organizational setting on the implementation of evidence-based practices in community contexts, but very little of this research has been extended to the education sector, one of the most common settings for the delivery of mental and behavioral health services to children…