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Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities

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teen of these studies (90%) revealed significant<br />

improvement <strong>in</strong> adaptive behaviors. For<br />

their part, Emerson <strong>and</strong> Hatton (1996) analyzed<br />

71 studies carried out <strong>in</strong> the United<br />

K<strong>in</strong>gdom <strong>and</strong> published between 1980 <strong>and</strong><br />

1994, among which 24 measured adaptive behaviors.<br />

Skill improvements on that dimension<br />

were observed <strong>in</strong> 16 studies <strong>and</strong> any difference<br />

<strong>in</strong> the eight other studies, which led<br />

the authors to conclude that de<strong>in</strong>stitutionalisation<br />

is generally accompanied by an improvement<br />

<strong>in</strong> adaptive behaviors, a conclusion<br />

also shared by Lynch et al.<br />

For maladaptive behaviors, as measured by<br />

the ÉQCA, results <strong>in</strong>dicate a significant reduction<br />

<strong>in</strong> serious <strong>in</strong>adequate behaviors <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />

behaviors judged of a moderate gravity, albeit<br />

non-significant, when all participants are considered.<br />

However, the reduction observed <strong>in</strong><br />

serious behaviors is especially associated with<br />

people who were not relocated, for whom the<br />

reduction <strong>in</strong> these behaviors is more important<br />

than that revealed for those <strong>in</strong>dividuals<br />

who were relocated. These data are consistent<br />

with those obta<strong>in</strong>ed with the Reiss Screen for<br />

Maladaptive Behaviors scale, as supported by<br />

the correlation between the two <strong>in</strong>struments.<br />

The results revealed by that scale <strong>in</strong>dicate a<br />

reduction <strong>in</strong> the number of people present<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>in</strong>dices of mental health problems. This<br />

means that those person’s scores exceed the<br />

critical po<strong>in</strong>ts on each subscale, on the total<br />

scale (26 items) <strong>and</strong> on each item. If we more<br />

precisely consider these results, significant improvements<br />

are revealed for autism <strong>and</strong> aggressiveness<br />

dimensions <strong>and</strong>, although nonsignificant,<br />

for the total scale (26 items) <strong>and</strong><br />

for scales related to the psychosis, paranoia,<br />

hyperactive <strong>and</strong> euphoria variables. As for the<br />

<strong>in</strong>adequate behaviors variable measured by<br />

the Reiss Screen for Maladaptive Behaviour scale,<br />

stronger improvements are shown by people<br />

that were not relocated.<br />

Concern<strong>in</strong>g the evolution of behavioral<br />

problems follow<strong>in</strong>g transfer from the <strong>in</strong>stitution<br />

towards more <strong>in</strong>tegrated sett<strong>in</strong>gs, the scientific<br />

literature has not revealed consistent<br />

f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs. Of the 33 studies analyzed by Kim et<br />

al. (2001), 10 studies revealed a significant or<br />

tend<strong>in</strong>g-towards-significance improvement,<br />

six a deterioration, with the others not reveal<strong>in</strong>g<br />

any difference. In Emerson <strong>and</strong> Hatton’s<br />

(1996) literature review of 14 studies<br />

evaluat<strong>in</strong>g these behaviors with a questionnaire,<br />

two <strong>in</strong>vestigations <strong>in</strong>dicated an improvement,<br />

three a deterioration <strong>and</strong> n<strong>in</strong>e<br />

no difference. These results are not consistent,<br />

similar to the f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs of the three<br />

follow<strong>in</strong>g studies published more recently. A<br />

Norwegian study conducted dur<strong>in</strong>g an eight<br />

years period by Nøttestad <strong>and</strong> L<strong>in</strong>aker<br />

(1999) with a sample of 109 <strong>in</strong>dividuals<br />

noted a deterioration of behavioral problems,<br />

<strong>in</strong> particular with behaviors related to<br />

aggressiveness, to break<strong>in</strong>g material <strong>and</strong> to<br />

passivity. However, <strong>in</strong> the Australian study<br />

undertaken by Young, Ashman, Sigafoos,<br />

<strong>and</strong> Grevell (2001) with 95 <strong>in</strong>dividuals one<br />

year follow<strong>in</strong>g their departure from the <strong>in</strong>stitution,<br />

an improvement of these behaviors<br />

was observed. Improvement was also<br />

noted <strong>in</strong> the study undertaken with 12 people<br />

<strong>in</strong> Engl<strong>and</strong> by Gold<strong>in</strong>g et al. (2005).<br />

Various reasons have been proposed. First,<br />

as McGillivray <strong>and</strong> McCabe (2005) noted, it<br />

is possible that <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>stitutions, several behaviors<br />

pass unnoticed that are not tolerated <strong>in</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>tegrated services. This argument is valid<br />

when measurements are taken before <strong>and</strong><br />

follow<strong>in</strong>g the transfer. However, what has<br />

been said about repeated measurements<br />

taken only follow<strong>in</strong>g transfer? Accord<strong>in</strong>g to<br />

Kim et al. (2001), the variation could be<br />

attributable to the fact that from the beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g<br />

of the movement <strong>in</strong> favour of <strong>in</strong>tegration,<br />

a tendency to transfer people present<strong>in</strong>g<br />

good capacities first existed. This means<br />

that dur<strong>in</strong>g the last years of de<strong>in</strong>stitutionalisation,<br />

transferred people could have presented<br />

more important <strong>in</strong>capacities. This<br />

might expla<strong>in</strong> differences observed among<br />

various studies. Obviously, non-comparable<br />

samples may also expla<strong>in</strong> such variations <strong>in</strong><br />

results related <strong>in</strong> the studies considered.<br />

However, when we exam<strong>in</strong>e the literature<br />

reviews more precisely, the listed studies <strong>in</strong>dicate<br />

the number of people, their age <strong>and</strong><br />

the severity of their <strong>in</strong>tellectual disabilities.<br />

Variations between studies do not seem to<br />

be attributable to sample differences. Kim et<br />

al. also underl<strong>in</strong>e that the selection of the<br />

participants can <strong>in</strong>volve a bias because people<br />

whose condition worsens on the adaptive<br />

behaviors or behavioral problems are<br />

re-<strong>in</strong>stitutionalized. Indeed, exclud<strong>in</strong>g from<br />

studies people that were re-<strong>in</strong>stitutionalized<br />

374 / <strong>Education</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Autism</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Developmental</strong> <strong>Disabilities</strong>-September 2010

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