Transcript Rapid, Repeated FISH in Human Amniocytes and Fibroblasts

Project GATORSS: Social Skills Assessment and
Intervention for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Alan’s Snapshot
Maureen A. Conroy, Ph.D., Jennifer M. Asmus, Ph.D. & Crystal N. Ladwig, Ph.D.,
College of Education at the University of Florida
A
Losardo & Notari-Syverson, 2001
Research Questions
• Examine the use of experimental analysis techniques for assessing
prosocial and problem social behaviors in young children (ages 18 mos 5 years old) with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).
• Examine the influence of setting events/establishing operations,
including the influence of peers, on prosocial and problem social
behaviors.
• Examine the effectiveness of interventions based on the outcomes of
experimental analyses on the prosocial and problem social behaviors.
• Examine the robustness and the generality of the results obtained from
descriptive assessments and experimental analyses through comparisons
across natural settings or care providers.
Phase 1
Descriptive Assessment Process
•Social Skills Interview (SSI) – Structured interview completed with the
classroom teacher used to assess children’s peer-related social behaviors,
identify possible contextual factors that are more likely to facilitate social
interactions with peers, and to evaluate past social skills interventions.
•Social Skills Screening Tool (SSS) – 10-minute interval direct
observational tool used to obtain quantitative information about the
frequency of children’s social behaviors during social activities (e.g., free
play, centers, etc.). Observers record any occurrence of social initiations,
responses, or interactions in 10-second intervals for a total of 10 minutes
across 3-5 social activities.
•Snapshot Assessment Tool (SAT) – Event recording tool used to assess
the appropriateness and context of social behaviors, hypothesize
functions of social behaviors, and examine the impact of classroom
characteristics on social behaviors during social activities. Observers
document the type and form of behavior, the context and appropriateness
of behavior, reciprocity of exchange, perceived goals of behavior, and
actual outcomes each time a social behavior is observed for a total of 3040 minutes across a minimum of 2 social activities.
•Direct Observations (DO) – 5-7 hours of direct, sequential recording of
behaviors and contextual factors in naturally occurring social situations.
Phase 2
Functional and Structural Analyses
Functional Analysis (FA)
• Purpose: To extend current FA methodology to the assessment of
prosocial and socially withdrawn and inappropriate behaviors
• 5 minute conditions with peers providing contingent attention or escape
from social demands for displays of targeted social behaviors
• Conditions: ignore, tangible, attention, escape, free play (modification of
procedures outlined by Iwata et al., 1982/1994)
Participants and Settings
• 18 young children (18 mo – 5 years old) with ASD over 3 years
• Social behavior deficits (withdrawn) and/or excesses (inappropriate)
• Natural setting (e.g., general/special education preschool, kindergarten)
Social Skills Data Obtained
By Assessment Type
SSI
Structural Analysis (SA)
• Purpose: To identify effects of specific contextual factors on appropriate
and problem social behaviors
• 5 minute conditions with peers conducted that provide noncontingent
presentation of pre-selected antecedent variables (Carr & Durrand,
1985; Peck et al., 1997).
• Conditions: play format, group size, activities/location, level of adult
engagement, restricted interests
Phase 3
Treatment
• Develop, implement, and evaluate interventions linked to outcomes of
descriptive and experimental analyses.
• Interventions include environmental arrangement and direct instruction
of target child regarding appropriate social behaviors linked with peer
training.
• Collaborate with early childhood providers to develop interventions
targeted to increase prosocial behaviors and decrease withdrawn and
inappropriate social behaviors in natural settings.
• Collaborate with and provide technical assistance to early childhood
providers to assist in the implementation of interventions.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of interventions by assessing the relative
increase in appropriate social behaviors and/or decrease in problem
social behaviors.
For more information, contact Project GATORSS at:
http://www.coe.ufl.edu/centers/Autism/gatorss/
Greg
Scott
Jean
Sarah
James
Alex
SSS
SAT
DO
FA/SA
Peer
Small group FA – Tangible
attention & Games w/Rules (appropriate);
tangible
Child directed SA – Access to
restricted
interest
Adult
Adult directed Tangibles
Attention for FA – Tangible
engaged
Manipulatives
initiations
(inappropriate);
Tangible for
Tangible &
Adult
responses
escape
directed
(Withdrawn)
Small groups
Child directed
Pretend play Pretend play
Tangibles
Data being
FA – Escape &
Small groups
analyzed
tangible
Peers’ gender
(inappropriate)
Adult
engaged
Art/sensory Pretend play
Tangibles
Data being
Data currently
Art/sensory
Cognitive
analyzed
being collected
Meals
Large
groups
Adult
Manipulatives
Peer
Data being
Data not yet
directed
attention &
analyzed
collected
escape
Tangibles
Outside play Tangibles
Data not
Data not
Cognitive
collected
colected
Outside play
Preferred
peer/adult
Adult
engaged
Snack &
blocks