Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Criteria defining eligible study designs were not reported. The included studies used reversal designs, multiple baselines, and a combination of reversal and multiple baselines.
Specific interventions included in the review
Studies that examined self-management used primarily to increase appropriate behaviour were eligible for inclusion in the review. Studies which additionally used self-management to decrease inappropriate behaviour were also eligible for inclusion. The included studies used the following types of intervention: primarily self-monitoring, primarily self-reinforcement, and a combination of self-monitoring, self-reinforcement and prompts.
Participants included in the review
Studies of students (children and youths) with autism were eligible for inclusion. Studies of peers of autistic students were excluded from the review, although studies which included non-autistic co-participants in addition to autistic students were eligible for inclusion. The majority (91%) of the participants in the included studies were boys, with a mean age of 8.6 years. The mean age of the girls in the included studies was 9.7 years.
Outcomes assessed in the review
The primary outcome was change in inappropriate behaviour. Appropriate behaviour was defined as a variety of positive behaviours that students needed to acquire or increase such as social interaction and activities of daily living. Studies that empirically assessed changes in inappropriate behaviour and graphically illustrated results at baseline and at different phases of the intervention were eligible for inclusion.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The authors did not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many reviewers performed the selection.