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Social and Behavioral Sciences

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

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Social skills

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Rule-Governed Behavior: Teaching Essential School Readiness Skills Via Rule-Following To Children With Autism, Rachel Lorraine Bradley Apr 2019

Rule-Governed Behavior: Teaching Essential School Readiness Skills Via Rule-Following To Children With Autism, Rachel Lorraine Bradley

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Rule-governed behavior (RGB) is behavior that is controlled by verbal descriptions of contingencies rather than by direct contact or a history of direct contact with the contingencies. Humans rely on RGB to navigate a multitude of life experiences, and in doing so, we avoid direct contact with destructive or harmful contingencies or contingencies that would be inefficient to contact. However, individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) do not naturally demonstrate RGB, leaving them at increased risk of contacting dangerous consequences. Thus, acquiring RGB is a critical concern that affects the development and wellbeing of individuals with ASD. The current study …


Reciprocal Peer Mentoring : Increasing The Prosocial Behavior Of Socially Neglected Students, Tai A. Collins Jan 2013

Reciprocal Peer Mentoring : Increasing The Prosocial Behavior Of Socially Neglected Students, Tai A. Collins

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Two studies investigated the effectiveness of the Reciprocal Peer Mentoring intervention in improving the prosocial behavior of socially neglected elementary school students as measured by a Direct Behavior Rating filled out by their teachers. Reciprocal Peer Mentoring uses the methodological framework of the Check-In/Check-Out intervention (e.g. Hawken & Horner, 2003), but expands on it by using peers as mentors, adding a reciprocity component, focusing on prosocial behavior, and targeting socially neglected students. In Study 1, the effectiveness of Nonreciprocal Peer Mentoring was examined, as popular peers served as mentors for neglected peers. In Study 2, neglected or rejected students mentored …


Examination Of The Relationship Between Specific Classes Of Social Skill Behaviors And Academic Competence On The Social Skills Improvement System Rating-Scales, Michael James Vance Jan 2012

Examination Of The Relationship Between Specific Classes Of Social Skill Behaviors And Academic Competence On The Social Skills Improvement System Rating-Scales, Michael James Vance

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

An individual’s social competencies and interpersonal relationships have been repeatedly linked to a number of behaviors not typically directly associated with social skills including depression (Hokanson & Rupert, 1991) and aggressive behavior (McColloch & Gilbert, 1991). In addition to these more social behaviors, social skills have also been shown to be predictive of both risk and protective factors related to academic functioning (Newcomb, Bukowski, & Pattee, 1993; Parker & Asher, 1987). The current study aims to add to the literature by examining the relationship between teacher, parent, and self-ratings of specific classes of social skill behaviors and teacher ratings of …


Examination Of The Reliability And Validity Of A New Observation Measure For Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Autism Spectrum Disorder Observation For Children, Daniene Neal Jan 2012

Examination Of The Reliability And Validity Of A New Observation Measure For Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Autism Spectrum Disorder Observation For Children, Daniene Neal

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

With increasing attention being drawn to autism spectrum disorders (ASD), specifically with regard to early and accurate diagnosis and treatment, researchers and clinicians alike have placed emphasis on finding assessment tools that can aid in this goal. The purpose of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of a new observation measure for ASD, the Autism Spectrum Disorders-Observation for Children (ASD-OC). The ASD-OC was found to have good to excellent interrater reliability, and excellent internal consistency (ƒÑ = .96). As a result of these initial reliability analyses, nine items were removed from the scale. The resulting 45 item ASD-OC …


The Relationship Between Social Skills And Challenging Behaviors In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Jonathan Wilkins Jan 2010

The Relationship Between Social Skills And Challenging Behaviors In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Jonathan Wilkins

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are among the most serious and debilitating conditions with onset in early childhood. Deficits in social interaction skills are considered to be the hallmark set of symptoms and are given the most weight in current diagnostic systems. Although not considered among the core symptoms of ASD, challenging behaviors in the form of physical aggression, property destruction, and self-injury also commonly occur. Challenging behaviors of this nature are a salient feature of ASD because of their potential to cause harm to self and others as well as limit a child’s access to opportunities in community and …


The Assessment Of And Differences Among Intellectually Disabled Adults With Comorbid Autism Spectrum Disorders And Epilepsy, Kimberly Robin Michelle Smith Jan 2009

The Assessment Of And Differences Among Intellectually Disabled Adults With Comorbid Autism Spectrum Disorders And Epilepsy, Kimberly Robin Michelle Smith

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The goal of this study was to systematically examine group differences among those with intellectual disabilities (ID) and comorbid Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and epilepsy in an adult population through a detailed exploration of the characteristics that these disorders present in the areas of psychopathology, behavior problems, and impaired social behavior. Previous studies indicating that individuals with ID have comorbid ASD and neurological conditions tend to stop short of addressing these disorders’ impact on the full range of psychosocial issues, particularly in adult samples. Assessments of psychopathology, behavior problems, and impaired social behavior were made with the ASD-Comorbidity-Adult Version and …


The Rate Of Decline Of Social Skills Across Dementing And Non-Dementing Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities: A Longitudinal Study, Julia D. Lott Jan 2006

The Rate Of Decline Of Social Skills Across Dementing And Non-Dementing Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities: A Longitudinal Study, Julia D. Lott

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study sought to establish rate of decline of adaptive skills in a population of individuals with intellectual disability (ID) and dementia compared to similar persons without dementia, as well as examining the variability of positive and negative social behaviors across diagnostic classes. Among the general population, differential rates of functional decline have been established for normal aging and dementia. This knowledge assists in making differential diagnoses of dementia, establishing prognosis, and long-term planning. For this study, participants in each group were individually matched for age, gender, Down’s syndrome status, and level of ID. Participants in the matched control group …


The Relationship Between Social Behavior And Mealtime Behavior Problems In Individuals With Severe And Profound Mental Retardation, David E. Kuhn Jan 2004

The Relationship Between Social Behavior And Mealtime Behavior Problems In Individuals With Severe And Profound Mental Retardation, David E. Kuhn

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

One of the defining features of mental retardation is a problem in adaptive functioning. An area of adaptive skills commonly deficient in this population is social functioning, often characterized as behaviors that provide individuals with the means to interact effectively and appropriately with others. Researchers in this area have generally focused on improving appropriate social behavior and/or decreasing behavioral excesses that interfere with social interactions. Few studies have examined the effects of improving social behavior on collateral behaviors. The current study examined the relationship between social behavior and feeding and mealtime problem behavior in individuals with mental retardation. Individuals across …