Education Commons^™

Pixels Or People: A Comparison Of The Differenital Effects Of Animated And Human Video Models On Exercise Behaviors For Hgh School Students With Intellectual Disability, Jade Alexis Fulkerson

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Individuals with intellectual disabilities, with or without autism spectrum disorder, often require structured programming to facilitate acquisition of skills. Video modeling, an evidence-based strategy, offers a promising avenue for skill instruction. While research has demonstrated the effectiveness of human-modeled video interventions, limited research has been conducted into the efficacy of animated models. Addressing this gap, the present study employed an alternating treatments design to compare the effectiveness of human and animated models in teaching exercise behaviors to high school students with intellectual disabilities, with or without autism spectrum disorder. Results revealed variability among participants: one individual exhibited superior performance with …

The Effectiveness Of Naturalistic Sign Language Training For Nonspeaking Individuals On The Autism Spectrum, Elizabeth Michael

Honors Projects

This study examined the impacts of sign language training on the communication of two adult brothers with level 3 autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A single-subject, multiple-baseline design was used. Sign language targets were selected based on a parent survey and the participants’ predicted motivation towards the target items. The baseline and intervention were conducted naturalistically in the home. Results indicated that the individual, environment, target signs, reinforcement, and motivation are all factors that play into sign language acquisition for nonspeaking individuals with ASD.

An Analysis On The Effects Of Melodic Based Communication Therapy On Verbal Behavior In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Meghan Kathleen Casperson

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to analyze the effect Melodic Based Communication Therapy has on minimally verbal children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, particularly tact responses and their generalization in the natural environment. MBCT is a replicable protocol for pairing melodies with target words to elicit speech in children with neurodevelopmental and language impairment. There is a call for the MBCT’s replication to widen the research on this approach in natural settings and across children with ASD and other developmental disabilities.

A multiple baseline design across participants was used to determine the impact MBCT has on the tact responding in …

Leading The Social Development Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Para-Educator Perspectives, Michelle Morehouse

Leadership Education Capstones

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore para-educator perspectives on implementing social development strategies for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the academic setting, students with ASD, receiving services through an individualized education plan (IEP), have the option to receive para-educator support.

Social development growth opportunities naturally occur throughout the school day, placing para-educators in situations where implementing social development support can enhance this growth. How do para-educators perceive this role as social development supporters? Do they feel equipped to implement social development support in the general education setting?

This study used a mixed methods design, through …

Early Gaze Behaviours In Infants At High Familial Risk For Autism Spectrum Disorder: Association With Brain Development, Julia Teixeira Pinto Montenegro

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) show impairments in gaze-following and will seldom engage in joint attention (JA). The ability to initiate JA (IJA) can be more impaired than the ability to respond to JA (RJA). In a longitudinal study, 101 high-risk infants for ASD (62% males) completed MRI scans at 4 or 6 months of age. Subcortical volumes (thalamus, basal ganglia, hippocampus, amygdala) were extracted. Gaze and JA behaviours were assessed with standardized measures. The majority of infants were IJA non-responders (n=93, 92%), and over half were RJA non-responders (n=50, 52%). In the non-responder groups, models testing the …

Exploring The Relationships Between Autism Parent Training And Fathers’ Parental Involvement, Ray Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAs the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in American children has increased over the past decade, many local and state agencies are seeking avenues to become more efficient in the type of training services they offer. One such training is referred as Autism Parent Training (APT). The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between fathers’ participation in APT and the factors related to involvement with their children prior to training and after attending training. This study relied on the developmental learning perspective as a theoretical framework, which asserts that the experience a person has in his/her …

The Predictive Influence Of Challenging Behavior On Parent Stress In Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Paige Weir

LSU Master's Theses

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication, restricted interest, and repetitive patterns of behavior. Individuals with ASD also exhibit challenging behaviors that affect parent and caregiver stress directly. However, researchers have not yet examined the predictive influence of specific challenging behaviors on parent stress, particularly in young children (i.e., infants and toddlers) with ASD. Therefore, the current study expands existing literature by a) investigating the influence that challenging behaviors of young children with ASD have on parent stress and b) examining the unique contribution that each behavior (i.e., aggressive/disruptive behavior, stereotypy, and self-injurious …

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Autistic Adults, Sneha Kohli Mathur

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Although there is a plethora of autism-related research, research related to transition and support needs for autistic adults remains limited. The purpose of this study was to understand the hopes, dreams, aspirations, challenges, and lived experiences of autistic adults. Academic literature has largely emphasized autism as a medical deficit, and use of first-person narratives to understand needs of people on the autism spectrum is rare. To fill this gap, I conducted a narrative study through a social model of disability lens and centered voices of autistic individuals. The narrative component of this research allowed readers to understand the subjective experiences …

Early Adversity And Positive Parenting: Predicting Executive Functioning In Children With Asd, Elizabeth A. Kuenzel

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are statistically more likely to experience early adversity; however, little is known about which types of adversity are most prevalent, the role of parenting as a protective factor, and how this early life stress impacts cognitive outcomes. We assessed adversity and parenting styles in 238 children (ASD=82) aged 6–16 years using parent report. Intellectual abilities were assessed using the WISC-V. Children with ASD had increased incidence of familial stressors compared to Typically Developing (TD) children. Positive parenting was associated with significant decreases in familial adversity for all children. Environmental stressors were associated with cognitive …

The Efficacy Of Art And Movement Treatment Modalities On An Individual With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Tristen Valentino

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Current statistics report 1 in 54 children have been identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), many of whom have co-occurring mental health disorders. However, minimal research has been conducted on adults with autism with co-occurring mental health disorders and the efficacy of art and movement therapy techniques. This is the case study by Tristen Valentino, clinical therapist, of a client, David Smith (who was given the pseudonym to maintain confidentiality), a 35-year-old, obese, single, cisgender, heterosexual, Caucasian, male. The implications of this case study are discussed relative to the diagnosis and treatment of adults with ASD who possess comorbid clinical …

Parent-Teacher Relationship Quality As A Predictor Of Changes In Externalizing Behaviors At School For Children With Asd, Lana Andoni

Graduate Masters Theses

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) exhibit high rates of externalizing behaviors compared to children with other disabilities and typically developing peers. These behavioral challenges may impede their ability to successfully transition into school settings. Higher quality relationships between parents and clinicians working with children with ASD have been shown to yield positive student outcomes. Additionally, parent involvement is considered to play a critical role in the success of interventions for children with ASD. Teachers may benefit from parents’ extensive knowledge about their child and parents may benefit from greater knowledge of school behavior plans to promote continuity of behavior …

Using The Question-Answer Relationship Strategy To Improve Listening Comprehension In Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Lisa A. Phalen

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

A well-established research base indicates that many children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience deficits in reading comprehension skills. There is currently limited research which examines the relation between the communication and language impairments in ASD and emergent literacy skills in early childhood. Listening comprehension has been identified as one emergent literacy skill closely linked to reading comprehension development. The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of the question-answer relationship strategy (QAR) and QAR cue cards as a shared book reading intervention package on the listening comprehension skills of children with ASD. A single-subject concurrent multiple-baseline …

Creative Arts-Based Parents Training Program For Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jung Eun Park

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study evaluated the impact of the Creative Arts-based Parents’ Training (CAPT) program. The 6-week long, creative arts therapy-based program and its impact on parental stress and sense of competence for parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) was examined. Korean Parenting Stress Index Short-Form (K-PSI-SF) and Korean-Parenting Efficacy Test (K-PET) were used as quantitative measurements. Qualitative data were also collected for the experimental group (n = 17) using questionnaires, art journaling, and a 30 min focus group interview. The control group (n = 15) only participated in quantitative measurements. There was no difference in age between …

An Exploration Of Parental Perceptions Of Inclusive Services And Supports Provided By Faith Communities For Children Diagnosed With Autism And Their Families, Susan L. Moerschbacher

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of the study was to explore the perspectives of parents of children diagnosed with ASD regarding the inclusive supports and services provided by their congregations. Identifying supports and services that are deemed helpful by the parents of ASD children may assist faith communities in developing programs and ministries that address the unique needs of these families. The quantitative study utilized a survey research method to address eight research questions. At two sites in Florida, parents of children diagnosed with ASD were invited to complete a survey assessing the helpfulness of nine inclusive supports. Additionally, the availability of these …

Survey On Services Provided To Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In U.S. Public Schools, Kendra Mcpherson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

It is of utmost importance that students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the public school setting across the United States are receiving the best, most researched services and treatments. This study aimed to find out what services and treatments are most commonly being used for students with ASD in the public schools, to see whether or not those practices are supported by research, and to discover how involved parents and families are in the services being provided to their students. This study found that of the top 25 most commonly used practices, 17 of those were supported by …

Effects Of Participant Controlled Video Prompting On Novel Tasks In A Vocational Setting For Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Amanda M. Hogue

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching self-instructional skills to navigate to a mobile device to access video prompts to teach novel behaviors to two adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a vocational setting. This study used a multiple probe across conditions design to evaluate effectiveness. In baseline, the researcher directed the participants to complete a novel task and collected data on correct steps completed. In technology training the researcher used a system of least prompts procedure to teach participants to initiate the use of the mobile device, navigate to an app, navigate to …

Video Modeling To Increase Interaction For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In A Museum Setting Using An Application On A Tablet, Bethany Miota Miota

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to perform an exploratory study to determine if the ScanDo! app intervention is an assistive technology that increases interaction for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in a museum setting. The ScanDo! app intervention presented a video demonstration that modeled the interaction for each learning station by scanning the QR code attached to the station. Using a naturally occurring baseline single-subject design with ABA and reversed ABA phases, two children with ASD and their parents visited the grocery store exhibit at a children’s museum. Observers of the trials and questionnaires completed by parents before …

Outcomes From In-Person Interdisciplinary Continuing Education For Autism And Online Delivery Of The Same Content, Rachel Ann Trayner

Theses and Dissertations

Because of the growing prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), there is an increased need for effective professional training models for autism treatment and education. Individuals with ASD receive care and therapy across multiple disciplines, so such training models should also be interdisciplinary in nature. In the medical field, pediatricians, nurses, psychiatrists, and many others work with individuals with ASD. In the education field, teachers, speech language pathologists, school psychologists, and others work with children with ASD. Some therapists work in both systems. Thus far, there has been little research done considering training delivery models (i.e., in-person and online training) …

Respite Care And Marital Quality: Families With A Child Diagnosed With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Amber Rachelle Harper

Theses and Dissertations

Parents of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at greater risk than other couples for having higher stress levels and lower marital quality. Respite care has been suggested as a way to help alleviate stress. This study investigated the relationship between respite care and marital quality; and the potential of mother stress and father stress as mediating variables. One hundred and one couples, each consisting of a mother and a father who lived with their child with an ASD, were given questionnaires including a respite questionnaire, Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Experience in Close Relationships Questionnaire, and …

Resolving Incidents Of Bullying Among High Functioning Adolescents With Asd: Parent Perspectives, Wan-Ting Chuang

Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative study was conducted investigating the perceptions of seven parents of high functioning adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) regarding incidents of bullying in which the child was involved. Results of the study indicated that all of the children had been bullied at one time or another, and that the majority had difficulty in demonstrating appropriate social skills. The parents viewed supportive peers to be a positive factor, fostering the children's satisfactory social adjustment. Parent interventions for their child included social skills instruction and empathy training. Research implications for educators included the need to establish systemic organized school-wide support …

Educational Interventions For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Perceptions Of Parents And Teachers In A Northeast Tennessee School System., Paula Anderson Nickels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study investigated the perceptions of parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), special education teachers, and general education teachers in a Northeast Tennessee public school system regarding educational interventions for children with ASD including what interventions they have found effective, the barriers and challenges they have faced, and how they view their relationships with one another.

Data were collected through interviews with a purposeful sample of 7 parents of 6 children with autism spectrum disorders, 8 special education teachers, and 6 general education teachers and a review of documents. Parent and teacher participants represented children at …