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An Analysis of Classroom Contextual Factors on the Social Behaviors of Students with Autism

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

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  1. 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)

  2. 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?

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. Participants’ Overview

  6. Participants’ Social Behaviors

  7. 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

  8. Contextual Factors • Activities • Manipulatives/blocks • Cognitive/Books/Preacademics • Art/Sensory • Pretend/sociodramatic play • Dance/music • Snack/meal time • Computer • Games with rules

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. Dependent Measures • Child Behaviors • Initiations • Helping/affection/comfort • Requests • Play organizer • Negative initiation • Initiated, but can’t tell • Interactions • Positive • Negative

  12. 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%)

  13. 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

  14. What are the effects of various contextual factors on the rate of social behaviors?

  15. Activities: Rate of social initiations

  16. Group size: Rate of social initiations

  17. Play format: Rate of social initiations

  18. Adult engagement: Rate of social initiations

  19. Activities: Percentage of time in social interactions

  20. Group size: Percentage of time in social interactions

  21. Play format: Percentage of time in social interactions

  22. Adult engagement: Percentage of time in social interactions

  23. Terminal Outcomes (Percentage)

  24. Limitations • Descriptive study • Small sample size • Variability within contextual factors • Lack of measurement of sequence of behaviors within context

  25. 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

  26. Future Research Directions • Replication across participants • Conduct experimental analyses to validate differences • Conduct lag sequential analyses to examine relationship between behavioral interactions and context

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