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An Analysis of Classroom Contextual Factors on the Social Behaviors of Students with Autism. Brian A. Boyd, Maureen A. Conroy, & Jennifer M. Asmus University of Florida Presented at the 38th Annual Gatlinburg Conference On Research & Theory in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
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An Analysis of Classroom Contextual Factors on the Social Behaviors of Students with Autism Brian A. Boyd, Maureen A. Conroy, & Jennifer M. Asmus University of Florida Presented at the 38th Annual Gatlinburg Conference On Research & Theory in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities March 18, 2005 Supported by U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (#H32D324D020023)
Research Questions • What are the effects of contextual factors on: • Rate of target child social initiations? • Duration of target child social interactions? • What are the terminal outcomes of target children’s social exchanges?
Participants • Total N = 5 children (ages 3 to 5 years old) • Diagnosis = Autism Spectrum Disorders • Included in natural environments • All children demonstrate social deficits &/or social problem behaviors
Settings • Conducted in natural settings including general education classrooms, preschool, and childcare settings • Approximately 16 children per classroom • Certified classroom teacher or early childhood professional in each classroom and classroom assistants
Observation Procedures • Data collected across 9 activities via videotapes (approximately 20 - 30 min/activity) • Continuous, sequential recording system of social behaviors and contextual factors using PROCODER (Tapp, 2003) & HP Pavillion Computer • Data analysis using MOOSES (Tapp, 2003) • Data collected for 9 - 10 hours across 12 weeks
Contextual Factors • Activities • Manipulatives/blocks • Cognitive/Books/Preacademics • Art/Sensory • Pretend/sociodramatic play • Dance/music • Snack/meal time • Computer • Games with rules
Contextual Factors - continued • Peer Group Size • Small (2-5) • Large (over 5) • 1:1 • No peer group • Play Format • Adult directed • Child directed • Adult Engagement • Active • Passive • Disengaged
Contextual Factors - continued • Terminal Outcomes • Escape social situations • Escape from social to stereotypy • Obtain peer attention • Obtain adult attention • Obtain tangible reinforcer • Obtain tangible & escape social situation • No outcome
Dependent Measures • Child Behaviors • Initiations • Helping/affection/comfort • Requests • Play organizer • Negative initiation • Initiated, but can’t tell • Interactions • Positive • Negative
Interobserver Agreement • IOA calculated using (A/A + D) x 100 • IOA calculated on 27% • Contextual Factors (Occurrence and nonoccurrence) • Mean =98% (range = 94% - 100%) • Social Behaviors (Occurrence only) • Mean = 92% (range =0% - 100%)
Data Analysis • Rate or % of time of target child social behaviors were calculated across each contextual factor • Percentages were calculated to identify the terminal outcomes of target children’s social exchanges
What are the effects of various contextual factors on the rate of social behaviors?
Limitations • Descriptive study • Small sample size • Variability within contextual factors • Lack of measurement of sequence of behaviors within context
Summary • Considerable variability across activity types • Setting factor function (Kantor, 1959) • More consistent patterns in other contextual factors • Group size - small group (initiations) or 1:1 (interactions) • Play format - child directed (initiations & interactions) • Adult engagement - disengaged (initiations & interactions) • Terminal outcomes - Tangible items
Future Research Directions • Replication across participants • Conduct experimental analyses to validate differences • Conduct lag sequential analyses to examine relationship between behavioral interactions and context