 |
|
- Koegel Home
- Pivotal Response Treatment
- Assessment Clinic
- How to Get Help
- PRT Certifications, Conferences, & Workshops
- Training Manuals
- Recent Books
- Dept of Rehabilitation
- NIH
- Autism Science Foundation
- First S.T.E.P.
- Previous NIMH
- Broad Asperger's Center
- Grad Student Research
- Undergraduate Research
- Recent Publications
- Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions
- Donations
- Awards
- Special Events
- Directions
- Contact
Our Research Grants
UCSB Koegel Autism Center
Recent Publications
For copies of any of these articles, please email autism@education.ucsb.edu.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Empirical studies have documented a variety of social abnormalities in infancy that indicate risk for later social and behavioral difficulties. There is very little research illustrating the presence of such behavioral vulnerabilities with frequent repeated measures, and the feasibility of designing interventions for improving social engagement in infants less than 1 year of age. In the context of a multiple baseline research design, three young infants, ages 4, 7, and 9 months, referred for concerns about social engagement were assessed for affect, social interest, eye contact avoidance, and response to name. In addition, the feasibility of implementing an intervention to target social behaviors was examined. Results demonstrated that (a) consistently low or erratic levels of social behavior were evident throughout the baseline assessment period, (b) these patterns could be improved with a brief intervention (a modified Pivotal Response Treatment) showing an immediate increase and stability of social engagement, and (c) social engagement remained at a stable and high level at follow-up. The results are discussed in terms of implications of early assessment and intervention for clinical populations, including infants with autism spectrum disorder.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Prescription medications are commonly used for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), however, there is little research regarding how the effect of medication is monitored across settings once prescribed. The present study addressed this issue for children with ASD in school by administering a questionnaire to teachers of students with ASD who were and were not being given medication. Specifically, the questionnaire assessed the teachers' knowledge about whether the child was being given medication, and whether behavior changes or side effects were being communicated in any way to the child's family and prescribing physician. The results showed that for children who were being given medication, fewer than half of the teachers reported knowing the child was being given medication. For those children who were not being given medication, only 53% of the teachers reported correct information for their students. Of the teachers who knew their students were being given medication, all reported that they were not conferring with the child's prescribing physician regarding behavioral observations or side effects. Whether teachers are blind to the medication types and dosage the students are being given or not, some type of communication to physicians about the children's behavior at school is important. Given the importance of monitoring medication for children with ASD, implications for system change, for professionals and for funding agencies are discussed.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Verbal initiations, such as questions, are essential components of social conversation often lacking in children with autism. Building on research showing that single questions can be taught in isolation, this study used a multiple baseline design to investigate whether a self-management intervention was effective for teaching concurrent acquisition and discrimination of three social questions in the context of conversation. Following intervention, participants rapidly increased their appropriate use of all three questions in a conversational context and maintained these gains over time. The participants also used questions appropriately with partners uninvolved in treatment. Additionally, the occasional presence of appropriate questions during baseline coupled with rapid improvement during intervention support theories that a lack of question-asking may be motivation-based rather than ability-based.
2012
For the complete article, please click Here.
Pivotal response treatment (PRT) is an empirically validated behavioral treatment that has widespread positive effects on communication, behavior, and social skills in young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). For the first time, functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to identify the neural correlates of successful response to PRT in two young children with ASD. Baseline measures of social communication, adaptive behavior, eye tracking and neural response to social stimuli were taken prior to treatment and after 4 months of PRT. Both children showed striking gains on behavioral measures and also showed increased activation to social stimuli in brain regions utilized by typically developing children. These results suggest that neural systems supporting social perception are malleable through implementation of PRT.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Inflexibility is a major characteristic of autism. In the present study we addressed inflexible mealtime behaviors and collected longitudinal data across 48 foods for 3 children, ages 6.4-7.8 years, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, for up to 22 weeks. Participants exhibited severe challenges with adherence to an extremely restricted repertoire of foods. We employed clinical replication and multiple baseline designs across participants to assess the effects of individualized reinforcement and hierarchical exposure to increase flexibility. Results showed that following intervention, all participants expanded their food repertoire and spontaneously requested new foods during follow up/generalization. Implications for clinical practice and directions for further research are discussed.
For the complete article, please click Here.
The social vulnerabilities associated with young children with autism are recognized as important intervention targets due to their influence on subsequent development. Current research suggests that interventions that combine motivational and social components can create meaningful changes in social functioning. Simultaneously, it is hypothesized that parent delivery of such strategies can invoke increases in these core social behaviors and parent engagement. This study examined the effects of teaching parents to implement a social engagement intervention with their children. The results indicated that the use of this parent-delivered social intervention led to (a) increases in their children's use of eye contact, directed positive affect, and verbal initiations, (b) increases in parent positive affect and synchronous engagement, and (c) generalized increases in parent and child behaviors.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Social engagement by children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in unstructured school settings generally occurs at very low levels, if at all.
Although many interventions improve peer socialization, generalization and maintenance of such gains when interventions are faded are typically low. The present study employed a multiple baseline design across participants to target generalization in the absence of interventionists in elementary school children with ASD at recess. Teaching initiations has been suggested as one method to increase generalization. The results of the present study showed that when initiations were targeted during intervention for social play, the participants demonstrated generalized peer social engagement, increases in unprompted peer-directed initiations, and more positive affect during peer interactions. Results are discussed in terms of theoretical and applied implications of incorporating initiations training into social interventions.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Research suggests that incorporating the circumscribed ritualistic interests of children with autism as a theme of activities can improve their socialization. The current study assessed whether socialization would improve if more general interests of children on the autism spectrum that would also be of interest to their typical peers were incorporated into activities. Three children with autism, who were included in regular education classes but did not seek out or interact with peers prior to intervention, participated. Data were collected in the context of a multiple baseline across-participants design, with a reversal for one child. Activities that were identified to be of interest to the study participants and their typical peers were implemented as clubs twice weekly during regular lunchtime periods. Results showed that all three children demonstrated
large increases in their time engaged with peers as a result of the activities, with minimal training of the interventionist and without any specialized training of the children with autism or their peers. Furthermore, their untargeted verbal initiations greatly improved over baseline levels and often approximated the levels of their peers. Implications for further improving peer social interactions for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder are discussed.
For the complete article, please click Here.
The literature suggests that adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) typically are not socially engaged during unstructured school activities and do not initiate social activities with typically developing peers. This study assessed whether implementing socialization opportunities in the form of lunch clubs based around aspects of the adolescents with ASD’s perseverative interests would promote positive and direct social interaction between the target adolescent and their typically developing peers. A repeated measures multiple baseline experimental design (with two reversals) was implemented across participants. During baseline measures, the participants did not show social engagement or initiations. During intervention, results showed large increases in both social engagement and initiations. These results have implications for understanding variables related to social development in autism.
2011
For the complete article, please click Here.
Students with ASD present unique challenges to school systems. Despite these challenges, federal laws require that schools implement research-based practices in the least restrictive environment (LRE). The LRE is often deemed to be the general education classroom and the primary intervention agent is often the classroom teacher. Ensuring students with ASD receive effective intervention in these least restrictive and inclusive school settings will depend, in part, on the extent to which teachers and school personnel are prepared to implement research-based interventions. The purpose of this article is to provide a summary of research-based interventions for students with ASD. Our focus in this summary is on interventions that can be implemented in inclusive school settings by teachers and classroom support personnel. We first provide a general overview of interventions designed to reduce challenging behavior, teach communication skills, and improve social relationships. This is followed by a discussion of the obstacles to intervention implementation that may be present in school settings. Finally, we conclude by offering a list of intervention guidelines.
2010
For the complete article, please click Here.
The Nova Scotia early intensive behavior intervention model-NS EIBI (Bryson et al., 2007) for children with autistic spectrum disorders was designed to be feasible and sustainable in community settings. It combines parent training and naturalistic one-to-one behavior intervention employing Pivotal Response Treatment-PRT (R. Koegel & Koegel, 2006). We followed 45 children (33 males, mean baseline age = 50 months) for 12 months. Mean gains of 14.9 and 19.5 months were observed on expressive and receptive language measures, respectively, for children with an IQ of 50 or more at baseline versus 6.1 and 8.4 months for children with IQs less than 50. Behavior problems decreased significantly over the 1-year treatment for both groups, but autism symptoms decreased only for those with an IQ of 50 or more.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Studies involving physical exercise and individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) were reviewed. Systematic search procedures identified 18 studies meeting predetermined inclusion criteria. These studies were evaluated in terms of: (a) participant characteristics, (b) type of exercise, (c) procedures used to increase exercise, (d) outcomes, and (e) research methodology. Across the corpus of studies, exercise was implemented with 64 participants with ASD aged 3–41 years. A variety of exercise activities were employed (e.g., jogging, weight training, bike riding). Following the exercise interventions decreases in stereotypy, aggression, off-task behavior and elopement were reported. Fatigue was not likely the cause of decreases in maladaptive behavior because on-task behavior, academic responding, and appropriate motor behavior (e.g., playing catch) increased following physical exercise. Results suggest that programs for individuals with ASD may benefit from including components designed to incorporate regular and specific types of physical activity. Areas in need of further research are discussed.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Many children with autism show very little interest in academic assignments and exhibit disruptive behavior when assignments are presented. Research indicates that incorporating specific motivational variables such as choice, interspersal of maintenance tasks, and natural reinforcers during intervention leads to improvements in core symptoms of autism and may possibly be effective in academic areas. Using a multiple baseline across children and behaviors design with four pre- and elementary school children with autism, we assessed whether the above variables could be incorporated into academic tasks to improve performance and interest. Results indicated that the intervention decreased the children’s latency to begin academic tasks, improved their rate of performance and interest, and decreased their disruptive behavior. Theoretical and applied implications are discussed.
For the complete article, please click Here.
The literature suggests children with autism use communication primarily for requests and protests, and almost never for information-seeking. This study investigated whether teaching “Where” questions using intrinsic reinforcement procedures would produce the generalized use of the question, and whether concomitant improvements in related language structures, provided as answers to the children’s questions, would occur. In the context of a multiple baseline across participants design, data showed that the children could rapidly acquire and generalize the query, and that there were collateral improvements in the children’s use of language structures corresponding to the answers to the questions the children asked. The results are discussed in the context of teaching child initiations to improve linguistic competence in children with autism.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Comments on the original article, "Evaluation of comprehensive treatment models for individuals with autism spectrum disorders," by S. L. Odom, B. A. Boyd, L. J. Hall, and K. Hume (see record 2010-05204-005) and on the erratum to the same article (see record 2010-05204-006). The current authors feel the article by Odom et al as well as the erratum would have benefited from the following considerations. An important obstacle for attempts to identify an intervention is the difficulty in distinguishing prepackaged interventions from evolving scientific approaches. An important methodological weakness in such reviews is that they often imply static intervention packages are superior to individualized adaptive approaches, when, in fact, the data supporting the latter are much more plentiful and persuasive. The current authors suggest that such reviews should evaluate the empirical bases for approaches so that relevant supporting evidence is not excluded from the review.
Koegel, R.L., Koegel, L.K., Vernon, T.W., & Brookman-Frazee, L.I. (2010). Empirically supported pivotal response treatment for children with autism spectrum disorders. Weisz, J.R. & Kazdin, A.E.Evidence-Based Psychotherapies for Children and Adolescents. New York, NY, US: Guildford Press (327-344).
Autism spectrum disorders have received much attention because of both the steady rise in prevalence and the fact that the etiological basis continues to remain largely unknown. Since Kanner's recognition of autism as a distinct developmental disorder, the three defining characteristics (impairments in social interaction and communication and restricted and repetitive behaviors) have remained, although the specific diagnostic criteria have changed over the years. Early interventions, derived from speculative causation theories rather than empirical evidence, were generally ineffective in dealing with the comprehensive needs of children on the spectrum. Subsequent scientifically based treatment procedures in the 1960's used operationally defined behavioral principles and resulted in measurable improvements in several target areas of the disorder; however, the interventions proved to be extremely labor and time intensive. In an effort to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of intervention, researchers began to focus on the identification of pivotal responses. The theoretical underpinning of identifying pivotal responses was that if certain core areas were targeted, widespread collateral changes in numerous other untargeted behaviors would occur, resulting in very fluidly integrated behavioral gains. This concept of producing widespread generalized changes is also supported in the research literature in areas such as response covariation. This chapter focuses on the pivotal area of motivation for children with autism spectrum disorders, which appears to serve a particularly important role in causing widespread collateral behavioral gains in the core areas of the condition of autism as well as increasing the child's learning curve, improving parental and child affect, decreasing parental stress, and decreasing disruptive and interfering behaviors. This core area of motivation underlies other important pivotal areas such as child self-initiations discussed in this chapter. Motivation also underlies pivotal areas such as joint attention and responsivity to multiple stimulus input and self-regulation of behavior (not discussed in this chapter). In the next section, we focus on the basic core area of motivation, which appears to be pivotal to almost every area of functioning for children with autism.
For the complete article, please click Here.
There is increasing demand for access to effective interventions for families who have children with autism. Self-directed learning models have been successfully used with other populations as a way to reduce the service-need discrepancy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate, through a randomized clinical trial, whether the use of a self-directed learning program could result in changes in behavior for parents and their children with autism. Results indicated significant differences between treatment and control groups at posttest on all of the dependent measures. Furthermore, all of the parents who completed the self-directed learning program reported high ratings of satisfaction. The data suggest the efficacy and effectiveness of a self-directed learning program to serve as an initial step toward providing intervention for parents with children with autism.
2009
For the complete article, please click Here.
Though considerable progress has been made in developing techniques for improving the acquisition of expressive verbal communication in children with autism, research has documented that 10-25% still fail to develop speech. One possible technique that could be significant in facilitating responding for this nonverbal subgroup of children is the use of orienting cues. Using a multiple baseline design, this study examined whether individualized orienting cues could be identified, and whether their presentation would result in verbal expressive words. The results suggest that using individualized orienting cues can increase correct responding to verbal models as well as subsequent word use. Theoretical and applied implications of orienting cues as they relate to individualized programming for children with autism are discussed.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Children with autism often exhibit low levels of social engagement, decreased levels of eye contact, and low social affect. However, both the literature and our direct clinical observations suggest that some components of intervention procedures may result in improvement in child-initiated social areas. Using an ABAB research design with three children with autism, this study systematically assessed whether embedding social interactions into reinforcers, delivered during language intervention, would lead to increased levels of child-initiated social behaviors. We compared this condition with a language intervention condition that did not embed social interactions into the reinforcers. Results indicated that embedding social interactions into the reinforcers resulted in increases in child-initiated social engagement during communication, improved nonverbal dyadic orienting, and improvements in general child affect. Theoretical and applied implications are discussed. Adapted from the source document.
For the complete article, please click Here.
With the increasing numbers of children who qualify for a diagnosis
of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), researchers have also seen a
contemporaneous increase in the number of interventions available to
families of children with autism. Unfortunately, many interventions lack
a sound research foundation and are minimally effective or ineffective
altogether. Furthermore, research suggests that an eclectic approach
to intervention for children with autism is less effective than a single,
intensive, scientifically sound intervention in terms of improving cognition,
language, and adaptive behavior (Howard, Sparkman, Cohen, Green, & Stanislaw, 2005). Because the earlier that intervention starts the higher
the likelihood of more positive outcomes (L. K. Koegel, 2000), ineffective
and inefficient interventions can be damaging to the development of a
child with autism. In short, if we are to accelerate the habilitation process
during the early years, efficacious, effective, and efficient individualized
interventions are critical.
Koegel, R.L., Shirotova, L., & Koegel, L.K. (2009). Antecedent Stimulus Control: Using Orienting Cues to Facilitate First-Word Acquisition for Nonresponders with Autism. Behaviora Analyst. Vol. 32, No. 2. 281-284.
Although considerable progress has been made in improving the acquisition of expressive verbal communication in children with autism, research has documented that a subpopulation of children still fail to acquire speech even with intensive intervention. One variable that might be important in facilitating responding for this nonverbal subgroup of children is the use of antecedent orienting cues. Using a multiple baseline design, this study examined whether individualized orienting cues could be identified, and whether their presentation would result in the production of verbal expressive words. The results showed that this antecedent stimulus control procedure produced improvements in responding to verbal models in all of the children, and subsequent gains in speech for some of the children. Theoretical and applied implications of orienting cues as they relate to antecedent stimulus control for children with autism are discussed.
2008
Koegel, L.K., Koegel, R.L., Fredeen, R.M., & Gengoux, G. (2008). Naturalistic behavioral approaches to treatment. In K. Chawarska, A. Klin, & F. Volkmar (Eds.), Autism Spectrum Disorders in Infants and Toddlers: Diagnosis, Assessment, and Treatment, (pp. 207-242). New York: Guilford.
(From the chapter) Although few intervention studies have been published for toddlers, the variables that have produced the most positive outcomes for older children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are most certainly relevant to toddlers with ASD and those at risk for this diagnosis. These include parent involvement, intensive behavioral intervention (i.e., applied behavior analysis), focus on language remediation, inclusion in the natural environment with typically developing children, long-term intervention, and multicomponent interventions (i.e., focus on language, social-emotional, cognition, and behavior; Levy et al., 2006). Within this general framework, there has been a search for interventions that can produce generalized improvements and target core or pivotal areas that may affect many broad areas of functioning. Hence, the goal is to hasten the habilitation process with more effective interventions beginning at an earlier age. This chapter attempts to synthesize the current knowledge of behavioral interventions for ASD and the application of these approaches to the growing number of toddlers being diagnosed. Furthermore, this chapter also presents considerations unique to this very young population of children and suggestions for treatment delivery. Finally, the chapter concludes with a conceptualization of the next steps for supporting these very young children.
2007
For the complete article, please click Here.
Various explanations have been offered in the literature on the underlying cause of joint attention deficits in autism. One possible explanation is that children with autism are capable of producing joint attention but are lacking the social motivation to share their interests with others. The current study used a single-subjects reversal design with alternating treatments to examine whether joint attention initiations for social sharing would occur as a collateral effect of utilizing the motivational techniques of Pivotal Response Treatment in conjunction with perseverative interest stimuli for three young non-verbal children with autism. Results indicated an immediate increase in joint attention initiations when perseverative, or highly-preferred, interests were incorporated within the motivational techniques of Pivotal Response Treatment. Additional findings included collateral increases in joint attention initiations toward less preferred interests, as well as improvements in the quality of interaction between the children and caregivers. Findings are discussed in terms of theoretical and clinical implications for understanding the role of motivation in facilitating the development of joint attention in autism.
For the complete article, please click Here.
This paper describes a collaborative effort aimed at province-wide dissemination and implementation of pivotal response treatment (PRT) for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Nova Scotia, Canada. Three critical components of the associated training model are described: (1) direct training of treatment teams (parents, one-to-one interventionists, and clinical supervisors/ leaders); (2) training of trainers; and (3) follow-up and monitoring of treatment fidelity and child progress. A major goal of the Dalhousie University/ IWK Health Centre - University of California at Santa Barbara partnership was to optimize effectiveness when translating PRT from the "lab" for dissemination in large geographical areas with community service providers. Finally, we provide data on stakeholder satisfaction with the training workshops and end by identifying features that may have contributed to our success thus far.
For the complete article, please click Here.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Despite improvements in interventions for children with autism, assessments tend to focus on their social, cognitive, and behavioral deficits, without similar systematic examination of their strengths. Strength-based assessment (SBA), which has been used in work with children with milder behavioral disorders, may also have value for individuals who have autism. Although not supplanting usual assessment procedures, SBA provides a method for identifying personal, familial, and broader contextual strengths. Research outside the area of autism has found that SBA can be a useful addition to assessment protocols because it provides specific information on assets that can be incorporated into interventions. Further, SBA has the potential to affect the attitudes and beliefs of parents and educators involved in the assessment, creating greater hope about the ability of the child to function well and contributing to a stronger bond between the assessor, the child, and their family. This article describes ways in which SBA can be added to typical assessment protocols for children with autism. Examples are provided on how to identify and utilize strengths that can be used for planning interventions and for building more effective working relationships between clinicians and children with autism and their families. Areas for future research are also discussed.
2006
For the complete article, please click Here.
Many parents of children with autism and other severe disabilities report heightened levels of stress. The approach delineated here contributes to the wraparound process, one of three interrelated aspects of positive behavior support (PBS) that drive the implementation of a values-based perspective. To recruit potential respite providers, a simple form was developed. The purpose of the respite list was to develop a requested tool for families. Parents also reported collateral effects on their personal, social, and family lives by having access to respite care. Aside from benefiting the family members, the opportunity to provide respite appeared to be advantageous to the respite providers. Further, it appeared that some of the students who provided respite for the families decided to pursue careers in the field on the basis of their respite experience.
Koegel, R. L., & Koegel, L. K. (2006). Pivotal Response Treatments for Autism. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
An innovative, state-of-the-art treatment for autism, Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) uses natural learning opportunities to target and modify key behaviors in young children with autism, leading to widespread positive effects on communication, behavior, and social skills. The product of 20 years of research from Robert L. and Lynn Kern Koegel--co-founders of the renowned research and training center on autism at the University of California, Santa Barbara--this proven approach is clearly presented in this single accessible volume. Keeping parents involved in every aspect of intervention, educators and therapists can use these research-supported PRT strategies to (a) improve children's academic performance; (b) advance children's communication and language skills; (c) foster social interactions and friendships with typically developing peers; (d) reduce disruptive behaviors; (e) aid early identification and intervention; and (f) reduce ritualistic behaviors and broaden children's interests. Because PRT works with each child's natural motivations and stresses functional communication over rote learning, this comprehensive model helps children develop skills they can really use. With this timely resource, educators, therapists, and parents can support children with autism as they enjoy more positive interactions, more effective communication, and higher academic achievement in natural, inclusive settings.
Koegel, L. K., Koegel, R. L., Nefdt, N., Fredeen, R. M., Klein, E., & Bruinsma, Y. (2006). First S.T.E.P.: A model for the early identification of children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 7, 247-252.
Abstract: This forum article outlines an innovative model, Project First Screening, Training, Education, Project, (First S.T.E.P.), for helping families build the skills to establish and sustain communication gains for young children with autism. The project is designed to address the apparent delays in identification of children at risk for Autism Spectrum Disorders. The emphasis is on a "whole family" intervention approach, and the changes that occur are not just with specific child skills but with the ability of the whole family to be more successful.
2005
Schreibman, L. and Koegel, R. L. (2005). Training for parents of children with autism: Pivotal responses, generalization, and individualization of interventions. In P. S. Jensen & E. D. Hibbs (Eds.), Psychosocial Treatments for Child and Adolescent Disorders. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
This chapter describes a systematic line of clinical research focusing on the involvement of parents as intervention providers for their children with autism. The authors begin with a brief description of autism and the impact of such children on their parents. The next section of the chapter describes the advantage of parent training over a program in which the child is treated exclusively by clinicians in a clinic setting. Next, the authors discuss the evolution of an optimal form of parent training. The core of this research begins with a comparison of a parent training program that treats only individual target behaviors with a parent training program that focuses on pivotal behaviors in autism (i.e., motivation and responsivity to multiple cues). Because of limitations in the generalization of this approach and continued reported high stress in parents, a third pivotal behavior, self-management, was added. Although it improved overall general intervention success, remaining heterogeneity in intervention outcome suggests the need to develop individualized intervention protocols tailored to individual children and families.
Koegel, L. K.,. Koegel, R. L. & Brookman L. I. (2005). Child-initiated interactions that are pivotal in intervention for children with autism. Jensen & Hibbs (Eds.) Psychosocial Treatments for Child and Adolescent Disorders.
The authors review empirically supported interventions for children with communication difficulties and present their work, which focuses on a reciprocal parent-child dyad communication approach. They present in detail their model of interactive communication accentuating the child's role as an active communicative partner to enhance language procedures. They also outline the techniques used for teaching children to be active communicators. Preliminary results indicate the promising nature of this procedure, with some evidence of generalization to home settings. The treatment was successful in improving communication with widespread concomitant decreases in disruptive and inappropriate behaviors. The authors recommend that future techniques be designed to promote self-learning and independence to develop more efficient treatments for children with autism, more significant generalization and maintenance treatment gains, and greater reduction of parental stress.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Book chapter.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: Difficulties with social interaction are characteristic of autism. This study presents data illustrating the use of motivational strategies in play dates to improve the quality of social interactions between children with autism and their typically developing peers. Specifically, a multiple baseline design across participants shows how a contextual support package implemented during play dates can promote reciprocal interactions and improve affect. These results support the use of intervention strategies that target the pivotal area of motivation and provide evidence for using play dates as a context for intervention. The findings are discussed in terms of promoting quality interactions and encouraging friendship development.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: Nonaversive behavior management is an approach to supporting people with undesirable behaviors that integrates technology and values. Although this approach has attracted numerous proponents, more adequate definition and empirical documentation are still needed. This article presents an introduction to the nonaversive approach. Important definitions are suggested, and three fundamental elements are presented: (a) an emerging set of procedures for supporting people with severe challenging behavior; (b) social validation criteria emphasizing personal dignity; and (c) a recommendation for prohibition or restriction of certain strategies. These elements are defined in hopes of stimulating further discussion and empirical analyses of positive behavioral support.
2004
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: Many children with autism display reactions to auditory stimuli that seem as if the stimuli were painful or otherwise extremely aversive. This article describes, within the contexts of three experimental designs, how procedures of systematic desensitization can be used to treat hypersensitivity to auditory stimuli in three young children with autism. Stimuli included the sounds from a vacuum cleaner, blender, hand-mixer, toilet flushing, and specific animal sounds from musical toys. A changing criterion design was used and data were collected on (a) the number of hierarchical steps completed as comfortable with the stimulus per week and (b) the mean level of anxiety per probe. A clinical replication was implemented using a replication of the desensitization procedures for three children. In addition, a systematic replication across three different stimuli is presented for one child in a multiple baseline. The data show that the children's responses could be modified to the point where they were comfortable with these noises. Furthermore, this level of comfort was maintained at follow-up. The discussion suggests that the extreme reactions to auditory stimuli many children with autism exhibit may be decreased with procedures that have been shown to be effective with reducing phobias, and the possibility that the reactions may be symptomatic of a phobia rather than actual pain.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: Preverbal communication and joint attention have long been of interest to researchers and practitioners. Both attending to social partners and sharing attentional focus between objects or events and others precede the onset of a child's first lexicon. In addition, these prelinguistic acts also appear to have important implications with regard to learning to socialize. The construct of joint attention has been noted as an early developing area prior to the transition to symbolic communication. Thus, the importance of joint attention in typically developing children, and the lack thereof in children with autism, has interested researchers for use in diagnosis and intervention for autism. That is, joint attention has been gaining momentum as an area that not only helps characterize children with autism, but also as a prognostic indicator and a potential intervention goal. In this paper, the status of the literature about initiation of joint attention by young typically developing children and young children with autism was examined. Empirical studies regarding joint attention behaviors, including eye gaze alternation, the use of protodeclaratives and protoimperatives, and studies that investigated joint attention as a predictor of language acquisition were reviewed. Possible areas for future research for children with autism are discussed.
2003
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: This article describes a family-wide prevention approach to positive behavior support (PBS) interventions during a period of potential crisis for a family with a child with autism. Specifically, the mother in this family was to have major invasive surgery that would require extensive time for recovery. Past functional assessment data and anecdotal evidence indicated that lack of predictability, structure, supervision, and systematic behavior supports all contributed to problem behaviors in this family. As a result, a multicomponent intervention plan was implemented to prevent such problems. The procedures included the following elements: (a) priming intervention, (b) stakeholder meeting, (c) coordination of services and schedules, (d) family-wide PBS plan, and (e) ongoing support. The outcome of this intervention was that the child with autism and her siblings showed decreases in their disruptive behaviors (as opposed to the expected increases), and the family experienced other family-wide collateral positive effects from this proactive intervention approach.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: This article describes a program developed to support the participation of children with autism in a full-inclusion summer day camp program with their typically developing peers. The goal of the program was to support the children in inclusive summer recreational settings and specifically target their social development with typically developing peers. The program contained the following elements: recruiting appropriate aides, providing the aides with ongoing training and support, creating individualized social and behavioral goals for the campers, developing interventions that were contextually appropriate to the camp settings, and communicating with the families during their participation in the program. This article discusses the relevant child, family, agency, and community issues relevant to the implementation of this program.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: This study examined the effect of sensory feedback (e.g., flashing lights and sound) on the imitation performance of children with autism and typical children group-matched for mental age. Participants were administered an immediate object-imitation task with six novel toys constructed for this study: three with a sensory effect that could be activated by imitating the modeled action and three without a sensory effect. Although overall imitation performance of the participants significantly between groups, the imitation performance of the participants with autism was significantly higher with sensory toys than with nonsensory toys. Typical participants' imitation performance did not differ between the two sets of toys. Both groups played significantly more with the sensory toys during free play, indicating that sensory toys were more reinforcing for both groups. Additional results demonstrated that typical children used significantly more social behaviors during imitation than children with autism, but they did not differ in object-oriented behaviors, replicating previous findings. It is argued that children with autism may be less motivated to imitate by social interaction, but may be motivated to imitate to receive a nonsocial reward (sensory feedback).
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: The importance of coordination of educational services has been well documented in the literature. For students with disabilities, coordinated programs result in more rapid acquisition of targeted behaviors and the increased likelihood of long-term maintenance of gains. The purpose of this study was to assess whether "priming" or exposing students with autism and disruptive behaviors to school assignments before their presentation in class would affect academic performance and problem behaviors. Two students diagnosed with autism who attended general education classrooms, both of whom exhibited numerous disruptive behaviors and low academic performance, participated in this study. A repeated reversals design was used to monitor student progress. The results demonstrated decreases in problem behavior and increases in academic responding when priming sessions occurred. Application is discussed in terms of a mechanism for speech-language pathologists to assist classroom teachers, with a systematic educational coordination plan that can quickly produce improved school performance.
For the complete article, please click Here.
This chapter focuses on two pivotal areas, motivation and child initiations, that appear to be especially important in producing widespread improvements for children with autism. Individual child and family characteristics determine the intervention setting and target behaviors for each child. Specifically, the target behaviors are determined based on the individual child's needs, and intervention programs are developed to be consistent with a family's goals, values, and cultural identity. Much of the focus of intervention is on communication skills and appropriate social communication interactions.
Koegel, R. L., Brookman, L., & Koegel, L. K. (2003). Autism: Pivotal response intervention and parent empowerment. Trends in Evidence-based Neuropsychiatry, 5, 61-69.
Abstract currently unavailable.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess whether children with autism could be taught a child-initiated query as a pivotal response to facilitate the use of grammatical morphemes. Data were collected within the context of a multiple baseline design across two children who lacked the use of temporal morphemes. Results of the study indicated that both children learned the self-initiated strategy and both acquired and generalized the targeted morpheme. Additionally, generalized use of the self-initiation into other question forms and concomitant increases in mean length of utterance, verb acquisition, and diversity of verb use occurred for both children. These generalized effects and the applications of this procedure across linguistic targets are discussed.
2002
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: Positive behavior support (PBS) is an applied science that uses educational and systems change methods (environmental redesign) to enhance quality of life and minimize problem behavior. PBS initially evolved within the field of developmental disabilities and from three major sources: applied behavior analysis, the normalization/inclusion movement and person-centered values. Although elements of PBS can be found in other approaches, uniqueness lies in the fact that it integrates the following critical features into a cohesive comprehensive lifestyle change, a lifespan perspective, ecological validity, stakeholder participation, social validity, systems change and multicomponent intervention, emphasis on prevention, flexibility in scientific practices, and multiple theoretical perspectives. These characteristics are likely to produce future evolution of PBS with respect to assessment practices, intervention strategies, training, and extension to new populations. The approach reflects a more general trend in the social sciences and education away from pathology-based to a new positive model that stresses personal competence and environmental integrity.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Many families who are geographically distant from a center that specializes in intervention for autism are unable to access specialized services for their children. This article describes an evaluation of an intensive, week-long, center-based parent education program that teaches procedures for improving social communication for children with autism. Five representative families who participated in this program are described. Data were collected on parent implementation of target behaviors using specific motivational teaching procedures of Pivotal Response Training. Data suggest improvements in the parents' use of the procedures, parent affect, and child expressive language during a week-long parent education session. Furthermore, follow-up measures demonstrate that these positive changes generalized to the families' home communities and maintained over time. These findings suggest the feasibility of a short-term, intensive parent education program for families who live in areas that are geographically distant from an intervention center.
2001
Koegel, L. K., Koegel, Valdez-Menchaca, M., Koegel, R. L., & Harrower, J. (2001). Autism. In M. Hersen & V. B. Van Hasselt (Eds.), Advanced Abnormal Psychology (2nd Edition) (pp 165-189). New York, NY: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.
Provides an account of the major findings that have led to the increased understanding of the behavioral manifestations of autism and the development of intervention techniques. Evidence on the etiology and intervention is reviewed within a framework that explores the possibility that neurological or physiological processes may result in an inappropriate level of social interaction which leads to disabilities in communication and other problem behaviors that characterize autism.
For the complete article, please click Here.
This study assessed play and social behavior of young children with autism in inclusive school settings to identify important targets for intervention. Data were collected for 5 children (aged 3-10 yrs old) with autism and for typically developing peers. All children with autism received intervention in one-on-one settings but did not have individual education plan goals that provided systematic intervention for developing play and social skills in their school settings. Results indicated the children with autism and their typically developing peers played with a comparable number of stimulus items (e.g., toys), but the children with autism engaged in these activities for shorter durations. Both children with autism and their typically developing peers engaged in similar levels of social interaction with adults. However, the children with autism rarely or never engaged in social interactions with their peers, whereas the typically developing peers frequently engaged in social interactions with other children. The results suggest important targets for intervention.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Describes a parent education program implemented for the parents of a 6-yr-old Latino boy with autism. The authors discuss cultural diversity and raises extremely important issues regarding cultural sensitivity and cultural competence.
Carter, Cynthia, M. (2001). Using choice with game play to increase language skills and interactive behaviors in children with autism. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 3, 131-151.
This study examined the use of providing choice to decrease disruptive behaviors, encourage interactive play, and increase language skills in children with autism. Children with autism often exhibit significant language delays. The developmental literature suggests that language skills may be increased by engaging in play interactions, but children with autism are unlikely to engage in interactive toy and game play. Children with autism also may exhibit extreme disruptive behaviors when confronted with task situations or other interactions they would rather not partake in. However, the literature suggests that providing choice opportunities will increase responding and adaptive behaviors in children with autism. Therefore, this investigation was conducted to assess the effects of choice during language intervention on disruptive behavior, social play/pragmatic behaviors, and language development.
Participants were 3 children who exhibited problem behaviors, a lack of engagement in interactive play, and delayed acquisition of grammatical morphemes. Within a reversal (ABAB) design, a choice and no-choice condition were compared in a naturalistic language intervention procedure using play. In the choice condition, the participant was allowed to choose desired interactive toys and games to be used during the language intervention session and the order of which these games were played. In the no-choice condition, the interventionist selected the interactive games and toys to be used during the language intervention session based on previously selected (i.e., preferred) games by the child. Results indicate that when choice is permitted during language intervention within a play context, disruptive behaviors are considerably reduced, and levels of appropriate social play/pragmatic skills increase, thereby reducing interventionist redirection. Moreover, the children participating in the study only showed generalization of the targeted language structures to their home environments following intervention in the choice condition. Findings are discussed with regard to the importance of providing choice for children with autism, increasing desirable language and social behaviors in these children, and directions for future research.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: This article discusses several core pivotal areas that appear to be influential in intervention for autism. Literature and outcome data are reviewed with respect to several core areas that appear to be particularly helpful in intervention for autism, including improving motivation, responsivity to multiple cues, self management, and self-initiation of social interactions. A conceptual framework is described, and outcome data are reviewed suggesting that when children with autism are motivated to initiate complex social interactions, it may reverse a cycle of impairment, resulting in exceptionally favorable intervention outcomes for many children. Because the peripheral features of autism can be numerous and extensive, the concept of intervention for pivotal areas of functioning may be critical if children are to be habilitated in a time and cost efficient manner.
2000
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: Investigated an intervention increasing sibling social play interactions by incorporating the thematic ritualistic activities of children with autism into typical games. Subjects were 3 children with autism (aged 5.4-6.8 yrs) and their siblings (aged 7.6-8.6 yrs). Data collected revealed very low levels of sibling play, joint attention, and affect during the baseline condition and high levels of thematic ritualistic behaviors. In contrast, when the children with autism were taught a play interaction based on their thematic ritualistic behavior (e.g., for a child who perseverated on movies, incorporating that theme into a Bingo(R)-style game), the percentage of social interactions and joint attention increased and maintained in 1- and 3-mo follow-up measures. All of the children's affect improved, and the rate of thematic ritualistic behaviors decreased to a minimum or no occurrence. The children's social interactions also generalized to other games and settings. These results imply that children with autism can learn social skills through play and natural interactions in their environment.
Koegel, L.K. (2000). Interventions to facilitate communication in autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30, 383-392.
Abstract: The purpose of this article is to discuss research opportunities arising from the current literature in the area of communication. Six general themes were discussed, including (a) increasing spontaneity, initiations, and the variety of functions of language verbal and nonverbal children with autism exhibit; (b) assessing and teaching precursors relating to positive outcome; (c) the importance of family involvement in intervention programs; (d) best practices for implementation of communicative interventions; (e) the interrelationship between language and other behavioral symptoms of autism; and (f) the social and pragmatic use of language. These areas are discussed in terms of improving assessment and intervention practices to produce greater long-term communicative outcomes for individuals with autism.
1999
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: Presents an overview of several pivotal response interventions for autistic children. Teaching in pivotal areas constitutes an efficient and effective mode of intervention in overcoming the number of difficulties that exist for children with severe disabilities. Key pivotal areas include responsivity to multiple cues, observable motivation to initiate and respond appropriately to social and environmental stimuli, and self-regulation of behavior. Approaches to teaching multiple cues include within-stimulus prompting and conditional discrimination. Motivation techniques include child choice, natural reinforcers, interspersed maintenance trials, and reinforcing attempts. The goal of the model is to provide autistic individuals with the social and functional proficiency to participate in enriched and meaningful lives in inclusive settings.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: Examined the degree to which self-initiation was associated with highly favorable postintervention outcome in treating autism. In phase 1 of the Exp, 3 children achieving a highly favorable outcome to a treatment intervention and 3 who responded unfavorably (aged 3 yrs at program entry) were retrospectively examined concerning self-initiating behaviors. Results show that those with favorable outcomes exhibited more spontaneous self-initiations at preintervention. Results of phase 2 of the Exp,comprising 10 autistic children (aged 2-3 yrs at program entry) show that Subjects could be taught self-initiating behavior, thereby leading to highly favorable treatment outcomes, based on data collected several years subsequent to intervention. It is concluded that social communicative initiation is a pivotal behavior in autism treatment.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: Discusses effective teaching interactions in the treatment of autism in children with a focus on pivotal target behaviors. Specifically, in behaviorally oriented intervention approaches, it is suggested that several areas appear to be especially important. First, progress may be enhanced by defining "pivotal" target behaviors that affect wide areas of functioning so that school psychologists, teachers, and other practitioners may be able to have widespread impacts on children's overall functioning. Second, psychologists are now able to develop interventions that simultaneously lead to independence on the part of the child, are correlated with decreases in untreated problem behaviors, are maintained with the passage of time, and therefore result in a long-term improved prognosis. It is concluded that accumulating research has identified a variety of specific procedures that, when implemented in the school setting, can greatly improve academic and social performance of children with autism.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: The literature has suggested that without the implementation of support procedures, placements of children with severe disabilities in full-inclusion classrooms are often unsuccessful. This study assessed whether a support person who taught young elementary school students (aged 5 and 6 yrs) to use self-management procedures and then faded involvement with them would be effective in increasing these students' appropriate performance on schoolwork tasks and reducing disruptive behavior in full inclusion classrooms. The percentage of time the children engaged in appropriate performance of schoolwork tasks and disruptive behavior was recorded during in-class periods. Data were collected over a 9-month period in a multiple baseline design during the academic year. The results showed that implementation of self-management resulted in high levels of appropriate performance of schoolwork activities, negligible levels of disruptive behavior, and complete elimination of time spent in time-out. Following the intervention, both appropriate schoolwork performance and disruptive behavior exhibited by the children with severe disabilities were within the range of the typical children in the classroom.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: This article applies a systematic analysis of everyday moral decision making to the controversy surrounding the use of aversive treatments for people with severe mental retardation. The authors' aim is to provide a framework for analyzing the issue, and they take a position against the use of aversive procedures. The analysis adds some new ideas to the debate. It provides a definition of aversive procedures based upon common moral rules. The concept of protection by the moral rules is discussed and the case made that people with severe mental retardation deserve the protection of the moral rules and that this right is historically new and tenuous. The importance of symbols of dehumanization is discussed in light of this tenuous condition. The idea of moral agency is applied in order to clarify the kinds of societal sanctions that are and are not appropriate when a person with severe mental retardation violates a moral rule. The authors argue that data are always relevant to moral decision making and that a mounting body of evidence indicates that nonaversive alternatives are available and can replace aversive procedures in all but a very small number of highly unusual cases.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: Examined the feasibility of an intervention using naturalistic language teaching procedures for communication problems of 3 children (aged 4-6 yrs) with autism conducted by the child's general education teacher in collaboration with the child's language clinician. The results of a multiple baseline study across children indicate successful implementation of naturalistic language teaching procedures in the school settings by all general education teachers and improved intelligibility of the language skills of all the children with autism in generalized spontaneous language use. These results are discussed in terms of previous research demonstrating the effectiveness and benefits of naturalistic teaching procedures and in terms of the implications for educational practices involving children with autism.
Stiebel, D. (1999) Promoting augmentative communication during daily routines: A parent problem-solving intervention. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 1, 159-169.
Abstract: The field of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) continues to struggle with issues relating to generalization and maintenance. Current methods of modifying instructional practices and teaching skills directly to the communication partner have contributed to developing successful treatment outcomes. However, few studies have examined AAC in the home setting during daily routines with parents. This study examined whether teaching parents of 3 children (aged 4 and 6 yrs) with autism a problem-solving intervention that considered the family's lifestyle would promote child spontaneous picture card use and parent-provided communication opportunities during daily routines. Data were collected in the context of a multiple baseline design across child and parent behavior. Results show increases in the child's use of cards and in the parent's use of communication opportunities across multiple routines, parent and child behavior maintenance over time, and increases in the parent's perception of their child's communication skill and of their own ability to promote communication. The findings support the use of a problem-solving intervention that incorporates the family's lifestyle as a method to promote augmentative communication during daily routines.
1998
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: Investigated how providing choice opportunities to children with autism impacted their performance during teacher-assigned homework activities. An ABAB design was utilized to evaluate the effects of choice making (student vs tutor) on the academic performance of four children with autism (aged 5-9 yrs). Results showed that providing students with opportunities to make choices regarding the order of task completion and use of stimulus materials improved participants' accuracy, productivity, affect, and reduced their disruptive behaviors. These findings support the use of child choice as a teaching strategy to improve the academic performance of children with autism during curricular activities. The functional properties of choice making and considerations for its use as a curricular-based antecedent intervention are discussed.
Koegel, L. K., Camarata, S. M., Valdez-Menchaca, M. C., & Koegel, R. L. (1998). Teaching children with autism to use self-initiated strategy to learn expressive vocabulary. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 102, 346-357.
Abstract: Examined whether motivational procedures incorporated into teaching question-asking to 3 children (aged 3.75-5.42 yrs) with autism, who lack verbal initiations, would result in generalization without additional teaching, prompting, or reinforcement in other settings. Specifically, the authors assessed whether such children could learn to use questions and whether the spontaneous use of question-asking would generalize across stimuli, settings, and people. All children learned to use questions in relation to items they had previously been unable to label and demonstrated generalization of spontaneous question-asking to new items and to their home environments with their mothers, with concomitant gains in expressive vocabulary. Results are discussed in terms of teaching response strategies, such as question-asking, to promote spontaneous child-initiated social interactions and expressive language development.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: Children with autism often lack appropriate means to communicate and may rely on aggression and other disruptive behaviors to express their needs. This may be a particularly serious problem when aggression occurs toward an infant or toddler, who could be severely injured by an older sibling. This study examined the use of functional assessment and individualized parent-implemented intervention plans in the home setting, including functional communication training with relevant ecological manipulations. Data were collected in the context of a multiple baseline design across 3 sibling dyads, who lived at home with their parents. Within each dyad the older sibling was diagnosed as having autism or a related developmental disability, and the infant or toddler sibling was not diagnosed as having a disability. The results showed that after the intervention there were (1) large reductions in the children's aggression toward their infant or toddler sibling, (2) increases in parent and child happiness level, and (3) increases in strangers' level of comfort with respect to interacting with the family. Findings are discussed in terms of improving the overall quality of life for families of children with autism.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: This study systematically asked whether individual topics or themes on which children with autism perseverated across a variety of settings (often called obsessions) could be used to create the theme for a socially appropriate game. Three children with autism (aged 5-7 yrs) participated. Data collected within the context of a multiple baseline design revealed very low levels of social interaction during play periods in the baseline condition. In contrast, when the children with autism were taught a socially appropriate game (e.g., one child who perseverated on maps was taught a tag game played on a giant outline of a US map), the percent of social interactions increased dramatically and continued to be high during follow-up measures. Generalization measures indicated that following intervention, the children also demonstrated increases in social interaction during other play activities. The results are discussed in terms of incorporating obsession themes into common games to create intrinsically reinforcing appropriate activities for increasing social interactions, and in relation to developing activities that capitalize on the child with autism's interests, so that the child is a valued member of the peer group.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: Systematically compared 2 intervention conditions, a Naturalistic approach (which incorporated motivation variables) vs an Analog (more traditional, structured) approach. Subjects were 4 male and 1 female 3.7-7.5 yr olds with autism. Developmentally similar speech sounds were equated within and across conditions for each child. Data indicate that although both methods effectively increased correct production of the target sounds under some conditions, functional use of the target sound in conversation occurred only when the naturalistic procedures were used during intervention. Results are discussed in terms of pivotal variables that may produce improvements in speech sounds during conversational speech.
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: Examined whether motivational procedures incorporated into teaching question-asking to 3 children (aged 3.75-5.42 yrs) with autism, who lack verbal initiations, would result in generalization without additional teaching, prompting, or reinforcement in other settings. Specifically, the authors assessed whether such children could learn to use questions and whether the spontaneous use of question-asking would generalize across stimuli, settings, and people. All children learned to use questions in relation to items they had previously been unable to label and demonstrated generalization of spontaneous question-asking to new items and to their home environments with their mothers, with concomitant gains in expressive vocabulary. Results are discussed in terms of teaching response strategies, such as question-asking, to promote spontaneous child-initiated social interactions and expressive language development.
1997
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: Assessed whether manipulation of variables related to motivation and attention in children with autism would influence performance on standardized tests. Two different testing conditions were compared: one consisted of the usual standardized testing procedures; during the other, specific variables that were hypothesized to relate to each child's responsiveness to task stimuli were manipulated. Data were collected in the context of a repeated reversals experimental design with condition order varied within and across children. Six autistic children (aged 3-9 yrs) participated in a total of 44 separate testing sessions, controlled for order of conditions, number of sessions, and type of test. Results show consistent differences between the 2 conditions, suggesting that improving motivation and attention in children with autism may considerably influence test performance and interpretation. Findings are discussed in relation to the difficulty in administering and interpreting changes in performance on standardized tests with this population.
1996
For the complete article, please click Here.
Abstract: Assessed the collateral effects of 2 parent training paradigms: (1) focused on teaching individual target behaviors (ITBs) serially, and (2) focused on teaching the pivotal responses (PRs) of motivation and responsivity to multiple cues. 17 Ss with autism (aged 3-9 yrs) and their families were randomly assigned to either ITB or PR training. Pretraining and post-parent-training videotapes of dinnertime interactions were scored randomly across 4 interactional scales (level of happiness, interest, stress, and style of communication). Results obtained for the 4 scales show that the families in both conditions initially scored in the neutral range, and the ITB training produced no significant influence on interactions posttraining. The PR training resulted in the families showing positive interactions on all 4 scales, suggesting high degrees of happiness and interest, low stress during the interaction, and more positive communication.
Koegel, L.K., & Koegel, R.L. (1996). The child with autism as an active communicative partner: Child-initiated strategies for improving communication and reducing behavior problems. In Psychosocial treatments for child and adolescent disorders: Empirically based strategies for clinical practice. (pp. 553-572) Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Abstract: Discuss techniques that extend presently available language intervention procedures for children with autism that emphasize the adult as the initiator of language. Focus instead on interventions that teach the child to be an active communicative partner in the dyad / pilot data are presented on important linguistic structures that show improvement as a result of such language intervention, in addition to concomitant improvements in a number of other disruptive and interfering behaviors / data suggest that, for children with autism, treatment is vastly enhanced if the children are recruited as active participants in the habilitation process / discuss pilot work that suggests that teaching young children with autism to evoke language learning from their environments may be especially likely to result in rapid language growth.
Koegel, L.K., Koegel, R.L., Kellegrew, D., Mullen, K. (1996). Parent education and reduction of severe problem behaviors . In Positive Behavioral Support: Including people with difficult behavior in the community. (pp. 3-30) Baltimore, MD: Paul H Brookes Publishing.
Abstract: it is clear that specific gaps exist in the treatment of children with autism relating to the issue of heterogeneity of the symptoms exhibited in autism / research suggests that specific variables associated with outcomes relate to the complex interactions of child characteristics, family variables, and target behaviors / specifically, it appears that an individualized intervention that addresses these variables has the potential to ultimately result in a prescriptive approach to parent education, so that implementation of an intervention would result in prevention and reduction of severe problem behaviors and significant skill acquisition across all children / parents' active participation in implementing language, communication, and other goals will most likely hasten and facilitate acquisition and generalization in the habilitation process /// reviews a few programs that have been scientifically documented to promote effective change and reduce or prevent severe problem behaviors from occurring in natural environments such as home and school /// pivotal responding and motivation [skill acquisition and practice through daily routines, involving parents in home interventions, functional analysis] / independent functioning [child self-management, self-initiated queries] / home-school coordination [priming, child and family characteristics]
Koegel Autism Center Quick Links |
|