A systematic replication of teaching children with autism to respond appropriately to lures from strangers.

Bergstrom et al. (2014) worked with children with autism in their own homes. Parents learned to run short BST lessons that taught the kids to say "No," walk away, and tell an adult when a stranger offered candy or asked for help finding a lost dog.

The team then tested the kids with real strangers in grocery stores and parks to see if the safety moves stuck.

Every child learned to refuse the lure and report to an adult during practice. The same safe choices showed up later when strangers approached in new places.

Levesque-Wolfe et al. (2021) built on this idea. They added extra lessons so kids would also refuse to leave with a familiar adult who suddenly acted like a stranger. Ryan’s kids only learned to avoid unknown people; the newer study shows you must also teach when it is okay to go with someone they know.

Harriage et al. (2016) used the same parent-BST model for a different danger—crossing busy streets. Both papers prove moms and dads can run short, in-the-moment drills that keep their kids safe outside.

Hedroj et al. (2026) swapped lures for lies. They used BST plus lots of practice examples so autistic boys could spot false statements during board games. Together these studies form a toolkit: teach refusal, teach checking, and practice everywhere.

You can give families a short script and a few role-play cards and make a life-saving difference in one weekend. Start with Ryan’s lure refusal, then add Levesque-Wolfe’s discrimination step so kids know trusted adults can break rules only if they say the family password. Practice at the park, the store, and the front door until the response is automatic.