Natural Environment Training

Abstract

Naturalistic behavioral approaches to intervention are designed for children with ASD and have a solid evidence base in the literature, earning an “established” evidence level from the National Research Council (2001), the National Autism Center (2009), and the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders (2011). These treatments are effective for teaching language, play, and social skills in children, adolescents, and adults with ASD (Goldstein 2002; Matson et al. 1996; Schreibman and Anderson 2001). This chapter will provide an overview of the naturalistic behavioral approaches available for the treatment of children with ASD and will identify current and future directions in behavioral intervention research.