Early Childhood Education Commons^™

Interventions Based On Mindfulness For Socio-Emotional Skill Building In Children On The Autism Spectrum: A Systematic Review, Nethnie Thilakna Nandadasa

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Children on the autism spectrum are characterized by deficits in socioemotional skills. Previous research suggests that mindfulness is effective in improving social, emotional, and behavioural skills in a wide variety of populations. This review systematically investigated the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in improving social, emotional, and behavioural functioning in children on the autism spectrum (0-12 years of age). Furthermore, the current review discussed adaptations to traditional MBIs when implemented to children on the autism spectrum. MBIs as a potential evidence-based practice for the target population was also investigated. Eleven studies met inclusion criteria. Results indicated that MBIs led to …

A Study Of Dual-Language Preschoolers With Moderate To Severe Autism: Perspectives And Practices Of Professionals In Boston-Area Massachusetts School Districts, Susan Davison

Educational Studies Dissertations

Abstract

The rate of autism continues to increase globally across cultures and languages. Inequities exist in early access to an autism diagnosis and necessary evidence-based education and related services for dual-language children in the U.S. This qualitative dissertation study investigated the perspectives and practices of 10 educators and therapists working in the Boston area of Massachusetts with dual-language preschoolers with moderate to severe autism. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews on Zoom. Practitioners described their commitment to their students and families. Using a social constructivist phenomenological approach, the data analysis of the practitioners’ responses resulted in seven main findings. Assessment …

Using Music Training To Increase Social Responsiveness And Happiness In Children With Autism, Meghan Talarico

MSU Graduate Theses

Social skills are imperative for individuals’ success in their daily lives because they are applied in areas such as shared interests and cooperative work and play. This study was a replication with extension of the study on a musical treatment of social skills by Finnigan and Starr (2010). The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of musical and non-musical interventions on the sharing and turn-taking behavior of five children with autism. The participants were four boys and one girl between the ages of 4- and 8-years-old who had a diagnosis of autism and were receiving ABA …

The Use Of Speech-Generating Devices For Preschoolers With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jessica Miller

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The first of the following articles provides a review of the literature related to vocalizations among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems, with special attention paid to speech-generating devices (SGD). After providing an overview of ASD, evidence-based practices (EBP), and AAC types and a brief history, this review evaluates studies that collected data on vocalizations in SGD-users, including both those that targeted vocalizations as a dependent variable and those that measured vocalizations as a collateral effect without directly targeting it. The goal of this review is to evaluate whether SGD use may …

Alannah, Bree And Cassie: The Abc Of Girls On The Autism Spectrum In Early Years Classrooms, Jillian Stansfield

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The prevalence of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in classrooms is an increasingly common phenomenon in schools in Australia and in many other countries. While there is increasingly growing literature on how autistic boys manage and are managed in schools, little is known about the learning needs of girls on the autism spectrum. One reason offered for this imbalance of literature is that fewer girls are diagnosed than boys, as their presentations may differ. As girls on the autism spectrum are an underdiagnosed phenotype, it is little wonder that teachers do not have adequate knowledge or strategies to support …

Socio-Dramatic Work Systems For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jorey Prange

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This capstone project assessed the integration of socio-dramatic work systems for two children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in an inclusive preschool classroom. It provides details about Teaching Strategies GOLD assessment tool and Structured Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication related handicapped Children (TEACCH) Work Systems. My experience working with two children with ASD shows that creating and implementing dramatic play work systems helped these two students improve their dramatic play skill progression as rated with the Teaching Strategies GOLD assessment tool.

Typical Peers’ Perceived Self-Efficacy Towards Including Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Elizabeth A. Caldwell

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

One in 59 children is identified as having an Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that students with disabilities be educated in the general education setting with typical peers to the maximum extent possible. This practice of inclusion has led to increased social-isolation and peer rejection among students with ASD. Research suggests inclusion alone without implementing peer intervention training is ineffective in fostering positive interactions between students with ASD and their typical peers. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to contribute to the literature by evaluating a peer educational intervention designed to promote …

Studying Facial Expression Recognition And Imitation Ability Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Interaction With A Social Robot, Farzaneh Askari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience limited abilities in recognizing non-verbal elements of social interactions such as facial expressions [1]. They also show deficiencies in imitating facial expressions in social situations. In this Master thesis, we focus on studying the ability of children with ASD in recognizing facial expressions and imitating the expressions using a rear-projected expressive humanoid robot, called Ryan. Recent studies show that social robots such as Ryan have great potential for autism therapy. We designed and developed three studies, first to evaluate the ability of children with ASD in recognizing facial expressions that are presented to …

Best Practices In Addressing Autism Spectrum Disorder Reevaluation In Preschool Children, Lyndi Ann Janny

Graduate Education Student Scholarship

This threefold study uses a criterion-based analysis research approach to explore the best practices in addressing the need for reevaluations for preschool children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The study focuses on differentiating the characteristics of preschool children with and without ASD, recognizing indicators of ASD that warrant re-evaluation, and exploring protocols for when the need of a reevaluation is suspected. Data was collected through a literature review and analyzed using a criterion-based analysis grid. Upon completion of the criterion-based analysis an underlying theme, was discovered, namely, that, within the four domains of early childhood, maturation can impact an ASD …