This special issue of Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders is devoted to health and wellness from several perspectives. Notably, children, youth, and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities have the same health issues as the general population as well as unique conditions that challenge conventional service models. Furthermore, primary, secondary, and tertiary intervention must be adapted to person-specific learning styles, setting characteristics, the competencies of care providers, and multidisciplinary approaches toward prevention and treatment. The good news is that health and wellness initiatives continue to grow with favorable results and effective research-to-practice translation is evident on many fronts.
Among 11 articles featured in the special issue, five reviews highlight contemporary topics that have substantive evidence support. Relative to applied behavior analysis (ABA) strategies, Jennings et al. (2022) reviewed teaching and intervention procedures for establishing healthcare and hygiene routines, Ford et al. (2022) reviewed the effectiveness of antecedent-based programs for sleep problems, and Miltenberger and Novotny (2022) reviewed safety skills assessment and training. The biological bases of health problems are covered in two reviews, one by Batarseh et al. (2022) on the efficacy of gluten-free and casein-free diets, and the second by Li et al. (2022) on changes in gut microbiota and current mechanisms of probiotic and traditional Chinese medicine therapies. All of these reviews synthesize the dominant areas per topic represented in the existing literature, present practice implications, and suggest new directions for medical, basic, and applied research.
The remaining six articles in the special issue describe health-directed service delivery projects with supporting process and outcome data. Blackman et al. (2022) evaluated a systems-level intervention to improve trainer integrity at a behavioral healthcare setting, Lundy et al. (2022) addressed acceptability and social validity of a technology-based menstrual hygiene management plan, and Mattson et al. (2022) examined rates of school absenteeism and contributing factors among preschool-elementary school students. Not surprisingly, three articles detail projects at human service organizations occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic: Maguire et al. (2022) report training, performance management, and social validity measures with care providers who implemented health promotion and risk mitigation protocols, Rothschild et al. (2022) conducted mixed-methods social validity assessment of organizational responsiveness to the health crisis, and Wine and Doan (2022) delivered a behavioral safety program and documented the effects on virus transmission. These articles are notable for large-scale administration of assessment and intervention with multiple data sources to evaluate efficacy and effectiveness.
My hope is that the special issue captures health and wellness priorities among persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, valued stakeholders, and society-at-large. A further goal is to encourage research that will refine current service options and produce innovative practices that are beneficial across the lifespan.
References
Batarseh, H., AbuMweis, S., Almakanin, H. A., & Anderson, C. (2022). Gluten-free and casein-free diet for children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 6(3). Advance of Print.
Blackman, A., Ruby, S. A., Bartle, G., DiGennaro Reed, F. D., Strouse, M., Erath, T. G., & Leon-Barajas, M. (2022). Effects of a systems-level intervention to improve trainer integrity in a behavioral healthcare organization. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 6(3). Advance of Print.
Ford, K. A. M., McLay, L. K., France, K. G., Blampied, N. M., & Gibbs, R. M. (2022). Systematic review of the effect of modification of antecedents in the treatment of sleep problems among children on the autism spectrum. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 6(3). Advance of Print.
Jennings, A. M., Mery, J. N., Quiroz, L. S., & Vladescu, J. C. (2022). A scoping review of the healthcare and hygiene literature for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 6(3). Advance of Print.
Li, Z., Liao, Y., Zhou, Q., Qu, Q., Sheng, M., Lv L., Yang, J., Shi, Y., & Shi, X. (2022). Changes of gut microbiota in autism spectrum disorders and common probiotics & chinese herbal medicine therapeutic mechanisms: A review. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 6(3). Advance of Print.
Lundy, K. M., Wenzbauer, M. A., Illapperuma, Fischer, A. J., Feng, M. J., Jensen, R. L., Maldonado, A. F., Mathia, S. N., Meservy, J. O., Heller, H. N. (2022). Evaluating the acceptability and social validity of a caregiver-led technology-based menstrual hygiene management intervention for youth on the autism spectrum. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 6(3). Advance of Print.
Maguire, H., Harper, J. M., Gardner, R. M., & Luiselli, J. K. (2022). Behavioral training and performance management of human services organization care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 6(3). Advance of Print.
Mattson, J. G., Bottini, S. B., Buchanan, K. A., Jarbou, M. & Won, W. (2022). Examination of school absenteeism among preschool and elementary school autistic students. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 6(3). Advance of Print.
Miltenberger, R. G., & Novotny, M. A. (2022). Teaching safety skills to individuals with developmental disabilities. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 6(3). Advance of Print.
Rothschild, A. W., Ricciardi, J. N., Luiselli, J. K., Goldberg, S., Crawley, J., Driscoll, N. M., Fofanah, D., Thiga, M., & Wangaga, J. (2022). Organizational responsiveness to the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed methods social validity assessment of human services care providers. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 6(3). Advance of Print.
Wine, B., & Doan, T. (2022). Human services during the COVID pandemic: Using behavioral safety programs to protect human services workers and students. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 6(3). Advance of Print
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Luiselli, J.K. Health and Wellness: Introduction to the Special Issue. Adv Neurodev Disord 6, 235–236 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41252-022-00274-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41252-022-00274-6