Implementing a Manualized, Classroom Transition Intervention for Students With ASD in Underresourced Schools

Area of Science:

• Education
• Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face challenges with classroom routine transitions, often leading to behavioral issues.
• Existing transition strategies require resources and training not available in low-resource school districts, hindering implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Schedules, Tools, and Activities for Transitions (STAT) program.
• To assess STAT's impact on challenging behaviors and teacher fidelity in underresourced settings for students with ASD (K-5).

Main Methods:

• A multisite, cluster-randomized, group comparison design was employed.
• 150 students and 57 educators participated in an immediate treatment versus waitlist comparison.
• The STAT program is a short-term, manualized intervention focused on behavioral supports for daily transitions.

Main Results:

• No significant group differences were found for academic engagement or classroom independence.
• The STAT program demonstrated an advantage in reducing challenging behavior.
• STAT implementation led to increased teacher fidelity in applying the intervention.

Conclusions:

• The STAT program provides preliminary support as a feasible and sustainable intervention for supporting transitions for students with ASD.
• STAT is a viable option for underresourced school districts seeking to manage transition-related challenges.