Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs)

Our increased ability to identify and diagnose children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) at ever earlier ages provides us with both an opportunity and a challenge. These advances now allow us to begin intervention much earlier in life. However, it can be a challenge to design and adapt our interventions to very young children in order to achieve optimal outcomes. Recent studies suggest that integrating developmental and behavioral methodologies represents state-of-the-art treatment for serving the youngest children with ASD. A recent shift in autism intervention has led to the emergence of a group of interventions called naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBIs), which blend ABA learning principles with developmental principles to build social communication throughout play and daily routines.

In this course, you will learn about the theoretical background underlying NDBIs and review the empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of those models as they relate to young children with ASD. Core elements and common features of NDBIs are discussed, and strategies to improve social engagement and communication skills for young children with ASD are shared. Finally, similarities and differences between traditional ABA programs and NDBIs are discussed for a variety of key areas (e.g., treatment goals, learning environment, and strategies).