Psychology Commons^™

Application Of Response-To-Intervention In A Pre-Kindergarten Special Education Classroom, Justin J. Daigle

Dissertations

Lovaas (1987) applied behavior analysis to the treatment of autism and demonstrated a 47% “recovery” rate. He also reported that around 10% of the population that received his services made little-to-no improvement. The present study used a response-to-intervention framework to systematically identify and treat students in an early childhood, special-education classroom who were in danger of falling within that 10%. This study set out to identify, classify, and differentiate the treatment based on the student’s response to the standard classroom intervention. Improvements in multiple students’ rates of acquisition based on this system were recorded. This indicated a possibility of improved …

Web-Based Stimulus Preference Assessment And Reinforcer Assessments For Videos, Hugo Curiel

Dissertations

Stimulus preference assessments and reinforcer assessments are integral components of positive reinforcement-based interventions. Web-based brief multiple-stimulus without replacement (MSWO) preference assessments have recently been shown to be effective in identifying preference hierarchies for videos (Curiel, Curiel, Li, Deochand, & Poling, 2018). The purpose of the current studies was to replicate Curiel et al.’s web-based MSWO assessment and assess the reinforcing function of the highest and lowest identified stimuli using novel web-based reinforcer assessments. Study 1 employed single-operant arrangements (SOAs) and Study 2 employed concurrent-operants arrangements (COAs) to assess the absolute and relative reinforcing function of the identified stimuli, respectively. The …

A Model Of Employment Supports For Job Seekers With Intellectual Disabilities, Alberto Migliore, Kelly Nye-Lengerman, Oliver Lyons, Jennifer Bose, John Butterworth, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

Interviews with 16 employment consultants-triangulated with job seekers, family members, and supervisors-revealed a model of employment supports aligned with the elements described in the literature, although with an added emphasis on (a) building trust as a key element starting from day one; (b) a circular process converging on the job match; (c) and flexible intensity of supports. The model can be used for improving clarity in communication with employment consultants about effective employment support practices for assisting job seekers with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Summer Treatment Program For Adhd And Asd: The Role Of Physical Activity, Sleep And Inhibitory Control, Erin G. Underbrink

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify pathways that lead to improved behavioral outcomes in children with symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and/or related social and behavioral difficulties. Specifically, this study sought to understand the relationship between physical activity, sleep, and inhibitory control and their impact on behavior in children participating in a Summer Treatment Program. This research analyzed the potential mediating effect of sleep and inhibitory control between physical activity and behavioral outcomes. This research examined the separate mediation models, as well as the overall serial mediation model, to inclusively examine the …

A Review Of Survey Data Collected On The Use Of Applied Behavior Analytic (Aba) Based Instructional Strategies By Educators In Pennsylvania Schools, Eric J. Bieniek, Mike Monfore, Matthew Erickson, Ashlea Rineer-Hershey, Richael Barger-Anderson

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This survey was initiated to explore the perceptions and daily practices of Applied behavior Analytic ABA) by educators supporting exceptional learners in public and private school settings in Pennsylvania. This survey explores the degree to which educators are trained, feel confident in and actually carry out a range evidenced based practices following an ABA approach. Results are also presented in regards to barriers that educators feel limit the delivery of ABA based approaches and undermine the fidelity of interventions once introduced in their professional settings.

Using Autoencoder To Reduce The Length Of The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (Ados), Sara Hussain Daghustani

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This thesis uses autoencoders to explore the possibility of reducing the length of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), which is a series of tests and observations used to diagnose autism spectrum disorders in children, adolescents, and adults of different developmental levels. The length of the ADOS, directly and indirectly, causes barriers to its access for many individuals, which means that individuals who need testing are unable to get it. Reducing the length of the ADOS without significantly sacrificing its accuracy would increase its accessibility. The autoencoders used in this thesis have specific connections between layers that mimic the sectional …

Heart Rate-Defined Sustained Attention In Infants At Risk For Autism, Bridgette L. Tonnsen, J. E. Richards, Jane E. Roberts

Faculty Publications

Background: Although aberrant visual attention has been identified in infants at high familial risk for autism, the developmental emergence of atypical attention remains unclear. Integrating biological measures of attention into prospective high-risk infant studies may inform more nuanced developmental trajectories, clarifying the onset and course of atypical attention and potentially advancing early screening or treatment protocols. Heart rate-defined sustained attention (HRDSA) is a well-validated biological measure of attentional engagement that, in non-clinical infant populations, provides incremental information about attentional engagement beyond looking behaviors alone. The present study aimed to examine the characteristics and clinical correlates of HRDSA in high-risk infants, …

Proneness To Guilt, Shame, And Pride In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders And Neurotypical Children, Denise Davidson, Elizabeth Hilvert, Ieva Misiunaite, Michael Giordano

Psychology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Self‐conscious emotions (e.g., guilt, shame, and pride) are complex emotions that require self‐reflection and self‐evaluation, and are thought to facilitate the maintenance of societal norms and personal standards. Despite the importance of self‐conscious emotions, most research has focused on basic emotion processing in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Therefore, in the present study, we used the Test of Self‐Conscious Affect for Children (TOSCA‐C) to assess proneness to, or propensity to experience, the self‐conscious emotions guilt, shame, and pride in children with ASD and neurotypical children. The TOSCA‐C is designed to capture a child's natural tendency to experience a given …

Using Video Modeling To Teach Vocational Skills To Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Karl Schoenherr

Dissertations

This study evaluated the effectiveness of video self-modeling as a method for teaching two young adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) how to perform job-related skills in a vocational setting. Prior to intervention, videos were recorded of the participants as they performed single steps of novel tasks at their jobsites. The researcher created video self-models by combining and editing the recordings of the single tasks into a video that depicted the participants performing all the steps of the task in succession. The videos included written instructions and voiceovers of the instructions. The videos were uploaded to Box, an app that …

Attachment, Stress, And Self-Efficacy While Parenting Children On The Autism Spectrum, Angela Maire Galioto

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The current study explored the relationship between parental perceptions of stress, self-efficacy, attachment, and child functioning level. Participants were parents of children with ASD enrolled in The Special Beginnings Program (SBP, N = 44) or receiving treatment as usual (TAU, N = 39). Hypotheses included that parental perceptions of child functioning level will be negatively correlated with stress and positively correlated with self-efficacy and attachment. In addition, that parental perceptions of stress will decrease and perceptions of attachment and self-efficacy would increase after Project ImPACT training and at follow-up more so for the parents in the SBP group compared to …

The Efficacy Of Neurofeedback In The Treatment Of Autism., Rosemary Akhavan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autism is a disorder that impairs the development of a person's ability to interact with other people and to relate productively with the outside world. There are many types of interventions being used to treat autism, but there are no cures or definitive treatments for this disorder. A biological theoretical foundation was the basis of this study, as recent neuroimaging techniques have demonstrated that autism is a neurological disorder that reveals distinct abnormalities in the brain. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of neurofeedback (NFB) in the treatment of autism. NFB has shown promise of improving …

Barriers To The Implementation Of Effective Transition Services For Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Laura Corona

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

In the years following high school, young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) report lower rates of employment, post-secondary education, and independent living than do individuals with other disabilities (Newman et al., 2011). Though evidence-based practices exist to support individuals with disabilities generally during the transition from high school to post-school education or employment, little research has focused on evidence-based practices specifically targeting high school students with ASD (Test, Smith, & Carter, 2014). The present study utilized a mixed methods approach to investigate barriers to the implementation of effective transition services for adolescents with ASD. In Phase 1, parents, school …

Towards Better Outcomes For Families With Transition-Age Youth Or Young Adults With Asd: A Mixed Methods Study From A Parent’S Perspective, Wing Hang Wong

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

The after-high-school outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families are less than desirable. The current study employed an exploratory sequential mixed methods design in order to enhance understanding of the family adaptation process during transition. First, a qualitative study was conducted in order to understand the stressors, external and internal support, coping strategies, and family adaptation outcomes during transition, from a parent’s perspective, using the ABCX model. Thirteen parents of adolescents and young adults with ASD were interviewed. These parents reported a continually high level of stress due to normative strains and ASD-related demands. They clearly …

Socioeconomic Status And Autism Spectrum Disorder : Caregivers' Solutions To Overcoming Service Barriers, Rachel Rodriguez

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study attempted to remedy the existing research gaps by asking: How does SES of caregivers for children with ASD influence their ideas of service barrier solutions? The purpose of this study was to examine caregivers’ perspectives of service barrier solutions and how SES influences their ideas of solutions. It was hypothesized that high SES caregivers would report experiencing less service barriers than low SES caregivers; therefore, there would be a difference in their ideas of solutions. This study explored sources of information, service barriers, ideas of solutions to barriers, and how solutions may improve caregivers’ abilities to care for …

Problem Behavior Of A Child With Autism And Problem Behavior Of A Typically-Developing Sibling Moderated By Maternal Parenting Stress, Jennifer Torchetti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Drawing on Bowen's family systems theory, this study was designed to fill a gap in research regarding how raising a child with autism impacts the systemic functioning of a family unit, and provide evidence of the need for more comprehensive resources and support for families of children with autism. In this study, families of children with autism were invited to complete the Parenting Stress Index and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. These measures were used to determine the relationship between the level of problem behavior of a child with autism and the level of problem behavior of a typically-developing sibling …

Neurodevelopmental Basis Of Autism Spectrum Disorder Based On Age And Gender, Sursatie Chetram

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication, socialization, and restricted/repetitive behaviors. In 2012, one out of every 55 children (1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls) have been diagnosed with ASD in the United States. Only 30-40% of ASD has a known etiology (e.g., genetic predisposition) and the other 60-70% is unknown. Prior to this study, there was no known literature on age and gender differences related to neuro-developmental functioning of ASD. The purpose of this study was to examine how the differences in age and gender of people with ASD were related to …

The Emergence Of Early Visual Attention Profiles In Infants At High Risk For Autism Spectrum Disorder, Debra Reisinger

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is comprised of two manuscripts focused on early social and nonsocial attention in children at-risk for developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD): infants with fragile X syndrome (FXS) and infants with an older sibling diagnosed with autism (ASIBs). Each manuscript will present original research: the first will consist of a crosssectional and longitudinal examination of attention to objects in infants with FXS and infant ASIBs parsed apart by their ASD diagnostic outcomes in comparison to a group of typically developing (TD) infants, and how developmental trajectories of object attention predict later ASD symptom severity and diagnostic outcomes. The second …

Cognitive Language Development And Birth Order In Non Affected Siblings Of Children With Autism, Cecilia Montiel-Nava, Esther Bromberg, Zoila González, José A. Chacín

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

The study aims to explore cognitive and language development in siblings of children with autism, and to compare younger and older siblings on all the measures. 36 siblings of children with autism, between the ages of 2 years, 6 months and 15 years (x=8.67; SD=3.91) were assessed using the PPVT for the receptive language abilities, the WPPSI-III or WISC-III as an estimation of IQ, the VABS as a measure of adaptive functioning, and SCQ was used to assess autism-related symptoms. 72% (n=26) of the children were older than the affected sibling, whereas 28% (n=10) were younger. PPVT scores were below …

Generalization Of Ipad®-Learned Skills In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Claire Klein

CMC Senior Theses

The present study investigated the effects of learning from an iPad® to real-world skills for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Research has demonstrated that for some children with ASD, electronic media such as an iPad® is highly motivating, highly preferred, and increasing in popularity in homes and in classrooms (Chen & Bernard-Opitz, 1993; Rideout, 2017; Shane & Albert, 2008). Because academic skills are often difficult for children with ASD due to problems with motivation, the current study used the motivating features of iPad® apps to teach real-world academic skills to children with ASD, with the hypothesis that skills would …

Effects Of Learned Exercises On Gross Motor Coordination In Children With Asd, Garrett Myers

CMC Senior Theses

The effectiveness of a teaching progression to teach three “Olympic” exercises and improve gross motor coordination was evaluated with four children (3 boys, 1 girl) diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A multiple baseline design across children and within children across activities was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching progression used to teach the physical exercise program, which consisted of three “Olympic” events (long jump, 50 foot dash, and a relay race). Results showed all four participants learned the three “Olympic” exercises, with all four participants mastering at least one of the three exercises. Two participants mastered all …

Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd) And Equine Assisted Therapy: An Integrative Review Of The Literature, Brittany R. Selzer

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this integrative review of the literature is to examine the effectiveness of equine assisted therapy with individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). An extensive review of the literature was conducted regarding children diagnosed with ASD who received equine therapy, equine psychotherapy, therapeutic horseback riding, or horse therapy. Inclusion criteria include articles written in the English language, articles that were peer-reviewed, and had a publication date from 2006 to present. Fourteen articles were analyzed regarding children with ASD who participated in different types of equine therapy. The majority of the studies found individuals with ASD who participated …

Examining An Asynchronous Group Discussion Board Adaptation Of A Parent-Mediated Behavior Intervention For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Alexis D. Rodgers

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

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social and communication deficits, as well as restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped behaviors, interests, and activities (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Although important relationships have been shown and described among the issues of challenging behavior, parent stress, and parenting sense of competence for families of children with ASD, there is a shortage of intervention programs appropriately suited for families which target these issues. Some programs have been developed and tested, but none is directly applicable for the target population. This is notable because of the connections drawn in the literature between families …

Personal Meanings Of Restricted And Repetitive Behaviors Among Midlife Adults With Asperger Syndrome, Leila Marie Shirley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are some of the hallmark features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptomatology. There is a knowledge gap on RRBs in adults with ASD because most of the research has focused on children and adolescents. The few studies conducted on adults with ASD have included conflicting results and variable information, especially regarding the developmental trajectories of RRBs. Therefore, this study was designed to address the lived experiences of RRBs in midlife adults with Asperger syndrome. This study was guided by the conceptual frameworks of Dunn's model of sensory processing, the 2-factor model of RRBs, and phenomenological …

Life Satisfaction In Adolescents With High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kathleen Blackburn Franke

Theses and Dissertations

The present study was informed by the Emerging Disability Paradigm, which emphasizes the importance of research regarding positive experiences, personality, and social relationships for individuals with disabilities (Schalock, 2004). The purpose of this study was to provide preliminary evidence regarding the reliability and validity of measures of self-reported psychosocial assets and life satisfaction (LS) for adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HFA). Additional purposes included identifying the overall levels of general and domain-specific LS within adolescents with HFA, comparing these levels to those of a sample of typically developing adolescents, and describing the relation between psychosocial assets and LS for …

Effects Of Parent-Implemented Interventions On Outcomes Of Children With Developmental Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis., Tina Dyches, Timothy B. Smith, Barbara Mandleco, Byran Korth

Faculty Publications

Background: A large body of literature exists related to parent-implemented interventions for children with disabilities, so it is helpful to synthesize the results of outcome-based interventions for children with developmental disabilities. Specifically, what are the effects of parent-implemented interventions intended to improve children’s (1) social behaviors, (2) life skills/adaptive behavior, and (3) communication skills?

Method: Using meta-analytic aggregation of effect sizes across 30 studies with a total of 1,356 participants, this review examined the association between parent-implemented interventions and intended outcomes of young children with developmental disabilities.

Results: Across all 30 studies comparing children’s outcomes to control groups, the random …

Objective Measures Of Electrophysiological Responses Of Children With Idiopathic Autism Spectrum Disorder And Phelan-Mcdermid Syndrome To A Contrast-Reversing Checkerboard, Chloe Brittenham

Theses and Dissertations

The heterogeneity of autism presents many challenges in understanding the disorder. The current study employs objective measures to examine visual evoked potential (VEP) responses of children with idiopathic autism (iASD) and Phelan-Mcdermid syndrome (PMS) to a contrast-reversing checkerboard in both long (60-second) and short (2-second) duration conditions.

Privileging Autistics Of Color: A Human Rights Approach To Applied Behavior Analysis (Aba) Therapy, Rebecca Rubey

Master's Projects and Capstones

This field project examines the social construction of autistic people of color through the pathology paradigm and the associated human rights violations. The purpose of the project is to disrupt the pathology paradigm by privileging voices of autistic people of color in professional development workshops for ABA therapy providers. The workshops aim to help ABA therapy providers understand the historical context of ABA, how it fits into the wider systems of white supremacy and ableism, and how these dynamics are re-enacted in every day practice with autistic people of color.

Teaching Students Who Have Difficulty Mastering Lmitation, Jennifer Mrljak

Dissertations

Some children with autism are unable to acquire imitation despite receiving early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) meant to teach that and other important skills. Many EIBI programs use physical-prompting hierarchies either as a component of the discriminative stimulus or the correction procedure following an error (Lovaas, 1981; Maurice, Green, & Luce, 1996). But even after lengthy exposure to these teaching techniques, some children still do not acquire imitative repertoires. In the present study, working with students who were not acquiring imitative repertoires, we started with shaping the initial imitative responses as a method to gain stimulus control and then introduced …

Child Characteristics And Parent Factors In Children With Asd And/Or Adhd: Disruptive Behaviors, Internalizing Symptoms, Parental Distress, And Parenting Practices, Elizabeth Clara Fair

Dissertations

The current study examined disruptive behaviors, internalizing symptoms, parental distress, and parenting practices in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), ASD+ADHD, and typically-developing (TD) children. Specifically, the current study examined how those factors differed according to diagnostic group as well as how child characteristics (i.e., disruptive behaviors and internalizing symptoms) were related to parental factors above and beyond specific symptoms of ASD and ADHD (examined dimensionally). To examine those questions, parents of 14 children with ASD, 16 children with ADHD, 13 children with ASD+ADHD, and 15 TD children participated in the current study (total N = 58). …

A Comparison Of Traditional, Trial-Based, And Synthesized Contingency Trial-Based Functional Analyses, Kaitlin S. Curtis

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Researchers have developed functional analyses (FAs) to improve efficiency and correspondence that still use core components of the traditional format. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the correspondence between the trial-based FA and the traditional FA. I also evaluated the correspondence between the synthesized-contingency trial-based FA and the traditional FA. Within this study, I determined that by combining methods, I was able to reduce false negatives for escape found within the trial-based FAs and false-positives found within the synthesized contingency FAs.