Video Modelling and Autism Ranking:

Status Research

There are a number of limitations to all of the research studies published to date. For example

• The overwhelming majority of studies consisted of single-case designs with small numbers of participants (mostly three, four or five participants).
• Some of these single-case design studies used extremely weak methodologies (such as simple AB reversal designs) or were descriptive case studies only.
• The two controlled studies had small numbers of participants (Kroeger et al, 2007 had 25 participants; Popple et al, 2016 had 18 participants) and the study by Kroeger et al was not randomised or blinded.
• Some of the studies did not provide enough details about the participants, such as whether they had a formal diagnosis of autism, intellectual ability etc.
• Most of the studies were limited to young autistic children, with very few looking at other groups (such as adults, females, individuals from ethnic minority groups).
• Very few of the studies compared the different elements of video modelling (such as the type of model, the length of the video and the number of times it should be repeated) to determine which, if any, are the most effective elements for which groups of people.
• Some of the studies used video modelling alongside other techniques or interventions, making it difficult to know if any effects were caused by the video modelling
• Very few of the studies compared video modelling with other techniques or interventions which are designed to achieve similar results, such as social stories.
• Very few of the studies allowed the participants to get used to the video technology before evaluating any effects it might have had. It is therefore not clear if any effects were due to the video modelling or the introduction of the technology.
• Many of the studies did not state if the video modelling provided any beneficial effects which lasted in the medium to long term.
• Many of the studies did not state if the video modelling provided any practical benefits in real world settings.
• Most of the studies did not involve autistic people in the design, development and evaluation of the research.

For a comprehensive list of potential flaws in research studies, please see ‘Why some autism research studies are flawed’

Updated

17 Jun 2022

Last Review

01 Sep 2017

Next Review

01 Dec 2023