Translation, Dissemination, and Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Call for Papers

The numbers of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have increased dramatically over the past decade, putting increased burden on both private and public agencies to provide the services needed to address this disorder. ASD is a particularly challenging disorder due to the variability in symptom characteristics and severity both across individuals and over time (Johnson, 2007; Lord, 2001). Additional challenges may include poor generalization of skills, limited social motivation, and mental health issues accompanied by developmental delay and medical comorbidities. These complexities have led to multiple characterizations of ASD as a developmental, mental health, and/or medical disorder making the primary system of care unclear. Although no treatment method completely ameliorates the symptoms of ASD, several methods have been demonstrated to be efficacious in research settings (National Research Council, 2001).

However, there has been limited examination of the delivery of these evidence-based practices in community settings. While a large body of the literature characterizes the state of children's health services research, both broadly and for specific health conditions, the study of autism services represents a relatively new area of research. Research is needed to address the complex set of issues surrounding the provision of health services to community care and to develop more effective delivery modalities for making quality interventions more available to individuals with ASD.

We invite investigators to contribute original research, review articles, and opinions related to current community practice, barriers, and facilitators of the use of evidence-based practices in real-world settings, stakeholder attitudes toward evidence-based practices, as well as models of translation and implementation of evidence-based programs. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Secondary data analysis of current service provision
• Qualitative studies of current community identification and intervention practices
• Stakeholder opinions and practices
• Effectiveness studies
• Mediators and moderators of service use
• Examination of barriers to service access
• Studies of effective community training programs
• Observational studies of community practice
• Community-based participatory research models

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/aurt/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/ according to the following timetable:

Lead Guest Editor

• Aubyn Stahmer, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA 92123, USA

Guest Editors

• Lauren Brookman-Frazee, Child and Adolescent Services Research Center, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
• Laurie A. Vismara, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA