Environmental Fit: A Model for Assessing and Treating Problem Behavior Associated with Curricular Difficulties in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Theoretical considerations suggest that problem behavior should increase when a child’s competency does not match the curricular demands of the environment (i.e., when there is poor environmental fit). In the present study, environmental fit was examined for six children with autism spectrum disorders. Results indicated that the children exhibited high rates of problem behavior associated with poor motor or academic competency. Curricular modifications resulted in (a) a decrease in the level of problem behavior, (b) an increase in the percentage of task steps completed correctly, and (c) improved affect. Adults who worked with the children reported ease of intervention techniques. The concept of environmental fit and its usefulness in guiding both assessment of and intervention for problem behavior are discussed

STRIVE to improve educational outcomes: supporting students with disabilities in the general education classroom

Increasingly, students with a variety of disabilities are being included in general education settings; however, many of these students have academic, behavioral, and social challenges that can interfere with their participation and performance. Teachers and school professionals supporting students with disabilities need effective and efficient strategies that can improve student outcomes. This paper describes a set of six domains of research-supported practices that can be implemented to support students. These practices are organized using the acronym STRIVE: Social supports, Teaching practices, Rewards and motivation, Independence, Visual supports, and Engagement. We include examples of how these practices can be used class-wide to support all students, and how they can be adapted to support specific students with disabilities. Practitioner-friendly applications and resources are included to support implementation within school settings

Visual Supports to Promote Play Skills in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Facilitating play is important for the development of young children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and using visual supports is one strategy for teaching play skills. This study assessed the effectiveness of a visual supports intervention package consisting of: (1) a computerized visual play book and (2) a visual cue strip for improving play behaviors during dramatic play activities in 3 young children with ASD. The participants\u27 mean percentage of play steps completed independently during baseline ranged from 6% to 16% and after implementation of the intervention ranged from 90% to 100%. The number of teaching sessions required for each child to reach criteria ranged from 4 to 8 sessions for the first toy set and 0 to 7 sessions for the second toy set. Data suggests that the visuals supports served as an organizing structure for the learning of new dramatic play sequences since learning occurred more quickly with the second toy set. Results of this study suggest that the visual supports intervention package successfully improved dramatic play behaviors of young children with ASD. These findings are consistent with a number of empirical studies that support the use of visual supports as an educational intervention for children with ASD

Context-Based Assessment and Intervention for Problem Behavior in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

The present study used a context-based model of assessment and intervention to explore whether interventions that modify context result in reduction of problem behavior in ecologically valid settings (i.e., typical routines implemented by typical education personnel in neighborhood schools). The Contextual Assessment Inventory (CAI) and a post-assessment interview were administered to parents and teachers of eight children with Autism Spectrum Disorder to identify problem contexts. Then, environmental modification techniques were implemented in three priority contexts: namely, transitions, termination of preferred activities, and presence of a feared stimulus. Our results demonstrated an almost complete elimination of problem behavior in the priority contexts as well as successful completion of activities and routines related to those contexts. We discuss the value of conceptualizing problem behavior as a function of context with respect to facilitating both assessment and intervention, and the need for enhancing breadth of effects to determine the larger impact of a context-based approach on promoting meaningful behavior change in the community

School Psychology and Behavior Analysis: Integrating the BCBA into School Psychology Training

The field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) has tremendous influence on the current practice of school psychology. While ABA practices such as function-based Intervention planning, direct Instruction, and school-wide positive behavior support are widely utilized in practice, relatively few school psychology training programs provide formal training in ABA. Increasingly, this additional certification is becoming highly desirable for individuals who work in school settings, both to provide additional training in ABA practices and terminology, and to help school professionals implement more effective services for students from special populations, such as students with autism spectrum disorder or traumatic brain injury. Although this certification is desirable, and the practices align well with training in school psychology programs, relatively few programs provide opportunities for dual certification. This poster presents results from a descriptive study that reviewed NASP-approved training programs that also provide the coursework and experiences needed for the BCBA, discusses the benefits and challenges of implementing dual certification programs, and presents a training model that allows school psychology students to also earn a graduate certificate in ABA, which meets the coursework requirements for the BCBA

Promoting Social Interactions Between Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Their Peers in Inclusive School Settings

This study evaluated the impact of a peer training intervention on social interactions among three students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their typical peers. Two second graders and one fourth grader with ASD participated. For each student with ASD, two to four typical peers participated in training sessions that targeted increased social interactions. Data collected during lunchtime and recess showed that the peer training intervention generally resulted in increased initiations by trained peers as well as increased initiations and responses by students with ASD. Unexpectedly, untrained peers also showed increased initiations. Future research directions are discussed, including characteristics of the peers selected for training (e.g., gender, popularity) and measurement of qualitative changes in social relationships and opportunities

On the reinforcing effects of the content of verbal attention.

During a functional analysis, a boy with autism and oppositional defiant disorder displayed destructive behavior that was maintained by attention in the form of verbal reprimands (e.g., "Don't hit me"). In a second analysis, contingent verbal reprimands produced higher rates of the behavior than contingent statements that were unrelated to the target response (e.g., "It is sunny today"), suggesting that some forms of attention were more reinforcing than others. A treatment based on these analyses reduced the behavior to near-zero levels