Accuracy and acceptability of eHealth data collection for an early intensive behavioral intervention program

Abstract

Early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) is a treatment designed to increase adaptive behavior and decrease maladaptive behaviors for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). EIBI service providers typically collect data using pen-and-paper. Participants were four service providers employed at a large community-based EIBI program. Differences in accuracy between collecting discrete-trial-teaching (DTT) data and challenging behavior data using pen-and-paper and an eHealth electronic data collection (EDC) application were assessed. The social validity of both methods of data collection was also examined. Pen-and-paper and EDC were equally accurate, but participants preferred using pen-and-paper. Our accuracy findings agreed with previous comparisons of EDC and pen-and-paper. Both methods of data collection are viable for an EIBI program; however, social validity considerations will determine the ease of EIBI programs transitioning to using an eHealth tool for data collection.