Facilitating independence in personal activities of daily living after a severe traumatic brain injury

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below.Aims: This study examined the effectiveness of two components of a treatment programme typically used by occupational therapists (OTs) in personal activities of daily living (PADL) rehabilitation. Methods: A multiple baseline probe design across PADL tasks was used, one which is particularly suited to the examination of the effects of complex interventions on skill performance. The subjects were two male adults with severe brain injuries and cognitive impairments who were in the acute stages of recovery. The OT treatment program consisted of a combination of errorless learning and strategy training approaches. The impact of the program was measured by the number of steps completed independently in each of these tasks, the level and type of assistance required, and by administering the UK Functional Independence Measure and the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills. Findings: Errorless learning and strategy training, as used within an OT programme, was demonstrated to be effective in reducing the amount of assistance both participants required to complete the targeted PADL tasks. Further, there was evidence of generalization of training effects among trained and untrained activities. Conclusions: Selecting and combining treatment techniques based on detailed assessment of functional performance is an area of high clinical importance but with limited research; the current study stands as an attempt towards that direction

Generalized effects of video modeling on establishing instructional stimulus control in children with autism: Results of a preliminary study

Video modeling has been suggested as a powerful treatment tool that has concentrated on increasing a variety of skills in children with autism. However, it has rarely been examined as a behavioral procedure for eliminating kinds of behaviors (e.g., noncompliance), a target that is often included in children’s support plans. The present study provides preliminary effects of video modeling on establishing instructional stimulus control over a simple behavior (cleaning up a toy) that required the termination of an ongoing activity. Three children with autism participated, and experimental control was accomplished using a multiple-baseline-across-subjects design. The results showed that this procedure can be effective for children with lower baseline levels of disruptive behaviors and more developed imitation skills. Successful responding generalized across stimuli and subjects and was maintained at a 1-month follow-up assessment. Specific guidelines for building video modeling into real teaching situations are also discussed

Brief Report: Theatre as Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The pilot investigation evaluated a theatrical intervention program, Social Emotional NeuroScience Endocrinology (SENSE) Theatre, designed to improve socioemotional functioning and reduce stress in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Eight children with ASD were paired with typically developing peers that served as expert models. Neuropsychological, biological (cortisol and oxytocin), and behavioral measures were assessed in a pretest–posttest design. The intervention was embedded in a full musical theatrical production. Participants showed some improvement in face identification and theory of mind skills. The intervention shows potential promise in improving the socioemotional functioning in children with ASD through the utilization of peers, video and behavioral modeling, and a community-based theatrical setting

A video-based package to teach a child with autism spectrum disorder to write her name

Item does not contain fulltextThe purpose of this study was to trial a procedure involving point-of-view video modeling, backward chaining and reinforcement to teach a child with ASD to write her name. Video modeling and reinforcement were used to teach letter writing, and backward chaining to produce the complete name. A multiple baseline across behaviors design treating each letter as a different behavior established the effectiveness of the procedure for teaching letter writing and generalization data suggest the efficacy of backward chaining in teaching production of her name. Treatment integrity was satisfactory and a post-intervention questionnaire indicated the intervention was acceptable to the participant's mother. These findings suggest that point-of-view video modeling in combination with backward chaining and reinforcement may be an effective tool for teaching new academic skills.11 p