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Coaching In Differential Attention And Pride Skills During Child Directed Interactions For Siblings Of Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Ava Sardoni

Dissertations, 2020-current

Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs) are an increasingly-common presentation that is often associated with significant behavioral and relational challenges. NDDs can impact multiple areas of functioning including social, academic, and adaptive functioning. As NDDs are developmental disorders in nature, they are often lifelong conditions that require intensive treatments and adaptations throughout the lifespan. One of the most important predictors of success and fulfillment for a child with an NDD is the support from the family system.

Siblings of a child with an NDD are often neglected from the conversation of supports and treatments for children with NDDs. However, challenging behaviors often associated …

Using Video Prompting For Daily Living Skill Acquisition In Adults With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Meghan Park Mitchell

Masters Theses, 2020-current

The current study examined the effects of video prompting on the acquisition of a daily living skill with adults who have intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). A multiple baseline across participants design was used to assess whether a video prompting procedure was able to teach adults with IDD a daily living skill with minimal socially mediated instruction. It was found that performance increased once the intervention was applied. Future directions for research and application in teaching daily living skills to adults with IDD are discussed.

The Effects Of A Self-Recording Procedure On Student’S On-Task Behavior, Maria Leventhal

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This study investigated the isolated effects of self-management on students on-task behavior through an operant analysis. Two elementary-aged students, receiving ABA services at a special education school were taught to self-record their on-task behavior using a Gymboss miniMAX timer that cued them at variable intervals. Following baseline, students were trained to self-record using Behavior Skills Training. A series of phases was then implemented to gradually increase the intervals. To isolate the effects of self-recording, feedback and reinforcement were not provided. Using a multiple baseline across participants design, a functional relation was demonstrated between self-recording and on-task behavior.

An Analysis Of Behavior Management Strategies Used Within Parent-Child Interaction Therapy To Facilitate Verbalizations By Children With Developmental Disabilities, Megan Barnes

Masters Theses, 2020-current

We examined the effects of the procedures recommended for interventions using the Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) protocols on child verbalizations. The effects of the procedures of Child-Directed Interaction (CDI) were examined in a non-concurrent multiple baseline across participants design. Two seven-year-old participants with developmental disabilities and language delay experienced a baseline condition followed by two experimental conditions during a free play environment. A range of child toys were rotated systematically throughout the study. The total number of therapist-child interactions remained consistent across all experimental conditions. The experimenter received bug-in-the-ear feedback about her use of the therapy components in order to …

Supporting Families Of Children With Autism Through School-Based Practices, Katelin J. Curd

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

Research in the field of autism has shown that families of children with ASD are affected in many ways. Recent studies have begun to explore various interventions for siblings of children with developmental disabilities. A systematic review of studies on school-based interventions for families and siblings of children with autism was conducted to evaluate the current state of the literature and inform recommendations for research and practice. Three articles were selected and reviewed according to their experimental design, participant characteristics, intervention or support protocol, and outcomes measured. Using the current search criteria, no studies were found to address school-based services …

Using Constant Time Delay To Coach Caregivers To Teach Their Young Children With Autism The Picture Exchange Communication System Within The Early Intervention Setting, Anna Balfour

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Both Early Intervention (EI) and Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) have been proven to be effective with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A relationship between functional communication and behavior has also been noted and described. As individuals learn functional communication, challenging behavior decreases. Early intervention commonly uses PECS to teach children, specifically children with ASD, to communicate. Early intervention can come in different forms, ranging from very intensive daily services to weekly or biweekly visits from service providers. While the literature recommends early intervention, much of it is referencing intensive schedules that are not financially realistic or time …

Effects Of A Lag 3 Schedule Of Reinforcement On The Variability Of Tacting In Individuals Who Engage In Vocal Stereotypy, Jessica K. Serrao

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or other developmental disabilities may experience rigid or repetitive behaviors, known as stereotypy. Current research determines effective interventions for increasing variability of vocal responding which effectively decrease stereotypic vocal responding. Lag schedules of reinforcement are a common theme among variability of vocal responding research. The purpose of this AB design study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a Lag 3 schedule of reinforcement in the teaching of variability of tacting. Results indicated that both variable and novel responses increased after the implementation of the Lag 3 schedule, but since these results are based off …

Applied Behavior Analysis Function Based Procedures Contribute To Parent Child Interaction Therapy Child Outcomes, Melissa Grant

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Developmental disabilities affect nearly one in six children in the United States; up to 30 % of these individuals have problem behaviors causing stressors in both the child and their caregiver’s lives. These problem behaviors have various topographical and functional forms, such as property destruction, aggression, tantrums, self-injurious behavior, and many others. If these behaviors are not nipped in the bud during younger years they have the capability to bring about academic failure, alienation from typical peers and other adults, and in the longer term, substance abuse issues, and a decrease in functioning skills within their communities. Evidence-based practices are …

Facilitating Transitions Through The Use Of Multimodal Intervention For A Child With Autism, Alexis E. Anderson

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have difficulty adapting to changes in routine, to the extent that they can struggle while transitioning out of one activity and into another. The inability to transition independently from one activity to the next can lead to negative behaviors, strained teacher-student relationships, and a loss of educational time in the classroom. The present study aimed to increase a six year old child’s independence while decreasing his problem behaviors observed during his transitions throughout the day at an autism clinic. A multimodal intervention along with a modified multimodal intervention was used to increase independence while …

Initiating Conversation By A Kindergarten-Aged Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Eliana A. Segal

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have social skill deficits that are often manifested in a failure to achieve normal back-and-forth conversation. They rarely initiate social interactions and often show little responsiveness to others. This can extinguish the social initiations of their peers, leading to great difficulty making friends. The purpose of the present study was to teach a child with ASD at an inter-professional autism clinic how to initiate and reciprocate a social conversation. A prompt fading procedure was implemented during training sessions to build a set of social skills into the child’s repertoire. The intervention provided social attention …

Inter-Professional Collaboration: The Impact Of Serial Versus Merged Treatment On The Behavior Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Robyn Starry

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Interdisciplinary collaboration is an innovative, resourceful approach to healthcare intended to positively affect patient outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to determine the efficacy of the serial exposure to three treatments, Applied Behavior Analysis, Speech Language Pathology, and Occupational Therapy, in comparison with an exposure to a merge of these treatments on child outcomes. During the serial treatment phases of intervention, three licensed professionals implemented core techniques from their respective disciplines. During merged treatment phases, a graduate clinician combined and implemented techniques from all three fields: differential attention, request sequences, sensory exposure, verbal/tactile cueing for postural alignment/control and …

The Effectiveness Of Social Stories On Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review, Caroline E. Johnson

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The primary goal of Social Stories is to address debilitating difficulties and are written with the goal of objectively sharing important social information with individuals with ASD (Gray, 1998). The purpose of this literature review was to look at the effectiveness of Social Stories on children with autism.

Transition Services In The Public School System For Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Krista M. Gieseke-Smith

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Due to early intervention efforts and improved diagnoses, more individuals with high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are able to attend postsecondary education than ever before (Adreon & Durocher, 2007). However, due to the inherent nature of autism, the transition to postsecondary education can be of great difficulty and cause a great deal of anxiety for these individuals. The purpose of the current research was to explore what is being done to aid in the transition to postsecondary education for this specific population and what is helpful. All participants were male and either had or currently are receiving special education …

The Use Of Differential Reinforcement To Increase Participation/Engagement In Children With Autism In An Inclusion Setting, Kayla Gionti

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Abstract

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) would gain more from instructional material if they increased their participation and engagement in general education classrooms. However, these children often grow dependent on prompts from teachers and paraprofessionals to participate. This can impede the children from participating independently in other settings and from engaging with the instructional material presented to them. The purpose of this study was to increase independent participation, while decreasing the prompt dependency of 3 children with ASD in a general education classroom. The use of differential reinforcement and prompt fading increased the hand raising behavior of all three …

International Distance Coaching Of Therapists To Improve Verbal Behavior By Children With Autism, Ana Barkaia

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

This study examined the effects of distance coaching on the mastery of therapists’ skills and the development of verbal behavior of children with autism. Three therapists and three children receiving early intervention services in the NGO Children of Georgia in the developing country of Georgia-Sakartvelo in Eastern Europe participated in this research. The therapists received distance coaching about the implementation of ABA therapy from Virginia. The intervention was recorded and coded by observers in Georgia-Sakartvelo and in Harrisonburg/Virginia,USA. The effects of distance coaching was investigated within a multiple baseline across participant.

Training Graduate Clinicians To Implement Speech Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy And Applied Behavior Analysis Goals In Their Treatment Sessions, Heather B. White

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Past literature indicates an interest in collaborative treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and names several therapeutic interventions. Effective treatments include Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Pathology and Applied Behavior Analysis. All three fields value best practice and, with differing perceptions and emphasizes, translate evidence into clinical practice. The current investigation used scientific literature and interdisciplinary collaboration to train graduate students from each field to integrate techniques from the other two fields into their own, supervised treatment sessions. Training was introduced serially across participants in a concurrent multiple baseline design. Instruction, rehearsal, modeling and feedback were used in training. …

Supporting A Parent Driven Video Self Modeling Intervention For A Student With Autism, Lindsey Visbaras

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a parent implemented video self modeling intervention for a middle school student with autism. The targeted behaviors included slowing the rate of the student’s eating and reducing the number of times the student touched her food with her hands during a meal. A series of parent interviews and home visits were conducted in order to collect data about the parents’ experience of involvement in the intervention and to help ensure intervention integrity. A parent training manual was provided as a resource. Qualitative data collected through parent interviews …

Investigating The Functionality Of A Self-Report Instrument To Detect Autistic Traits In A Non-Clinical College Population: Psychometric Properties Of The Short Version Of Autism-Spectrum Quotient (Aq-26), Anna Zilberberg

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The present study investigated the dimensionality of the short version of Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ-26) (Baron-Cohen et al., 2001) via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Designed to screen for autistic traits in a non-clinical adult population, the AQ-26 can potentially be a very useful tool both in research and practice. However, evidence pertaining to the structural validity of the AQ-26 is scarce and inconclusive. Competing factor structure models based on previous research were specified and tested using an American college student sample. None of the theoretically specified models provided adequate fit for the data and the focus …