A functional analysis (FA) is the most commonly used assessment methodology for identifying maintaining variables influencing problem behavior. However, if an FA does not produce clear differentiation, researchers and practitioners often then modify procedures to include additional individualized variables. The interview-informed synthesized contingency analysis (IISCA) provides a marked departure from FA methodology and aims to include individualized factors at the initiation of the assessment in order to more rapidly produce differentiation and clear results. We sought to further evaluate and compare the outcomes of two different functional analysis methods: the single-contingency functional analysis (FA) and the interview-informed synthesized contingency analysis (IISCA) to determine the function of problem behavior and evaluate the subsequent function-based treatment determined from the functional analysis results with two children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Both participants engaged in problem behavior maintained by single-contingencies of reinforcement identified within the single-contingency FA and emphasized by the effectiveness of each single-contingency function-based treatment.

Video modeling interventions have been mostly effective for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in teaching social communication skills. However, differences in the effectiveness of these interventions have been noted. Participant motivation was suggested as one of the factors that can influence the effectiveness of video modeling. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of participant motivation on video modeling for teaching social communication skills to individuals with ASD. A combined multiple probe across participants and adapted alternating treatments design was used to examine the differential effects of two video modeling conditions (i.e., motivated and non-motivated) on social communication skills of four adults with ASD. Of the four participants, three participants responded to the intervention and performed more of target behavior during the motivated video modeling condition than the non-motivated video modeling condition, while one did not respond to the intervention. In addition, the three participants engaged in a higher percentage of the target behavior during motivated generalization sessions than non-motivated generalization sessions. The results demonstrated that participant motivation influenced the effectiveness of video modeling.

Millions of students with disabilities in the United States have access to educational programming to assist and provide special education support services. In existence for mere decades, special education as it currently stands was founded on groundbreaking legislation and refining law in the form of the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The most recent revision of this law in 2004 significantly extended parents' rights to be decision-makers in the educational planning process for children with disabilities. A litany of research into parent experiences of the IEP and special education process reveals that parents consistently report feelings of being marginalized in the decision-making process. A systematic literature review conducted by the author revealed that parents and family members of children with ASD report broadly similar themes of dissatisfaction with the special education process and communicating with staff. The current research proposal seeks to investigate the interaction experiences with Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP) personnel of parents and family members of elementary-aged children with ASD. LSSPs, recognized as possessing expertise on autism spectrum disorder amongst special education evaluation personnel, often conduct evaluations for students with ASD.

University peer-mentoring programs have shown to increase the retention rates of students, including students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and improved satisfaction with the college experience. The perceived quality of a mentee-mentor relationship may predict satisfaction with a peer-mentoring program; therefore, teaching peer mentors to engage in behaviors that could contribute to a high-quality mentee-mentor relationship may be beneficial. The current study identified target outcomes, operationally defined target behaviors, and developed a computer-based instruction (CBI) training module. The CBI training module was divided into four submodules that incorporated teaching through examples and nonexamples and discrimination training. The efficacy of each CBI submodule was evaluated using a pretest/posttest design with two mentors in a university peer-mentoring program. Results suggested that the CBI training module produced an increase in the frequency of correct responses in seven out of eight submodule posttests across both participants. The CBI training program also produced an increase in the frequency of target behaviors emitted by both participants across all submodules. These findings suggest that this CBI training module can be used to teach peer-mentors the behaviors that may improve their relationship with their mentee.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents with difficulties in social communication, repetitive and/or restricted behaviors, as well as variable language development. Individuals with suspected ASD ideally participate in assessments which include measures of cognitive abilities, adaptive functioning, language functioning, and ASD specific measures (i.e., ADOS, ADI-R). Diagnosis of ASD can occur confidently at 2 years of age, however, the mean age at diagnosis is 4-5 years old. Delays in diagnosis are accounted for by lacking professionals and centers with the capabilities to assess ASD, as well as long waitlists for assessments. Early identification and intervention have been shown to provide the best improvements in ASD symptomology. The aim of the current study was to conduct a program evaluation of an autism treatment center that was designed to provide high quality evidence-based interventions. The study determined if treatment-as-usual in that center yields the expected gains in adaptive functioning and corresponding decreases in barriers to learning. Results indicated improvement in scores on standardized direct assessment of milestone achievement and barriers to learning, but no significant improvement in adaptive skills via secondary informant questionnaire measures following 6 months of treatment. The overall sample size was small due to COVID-19 complications, lack of institutional procedures, and limited client pool. Further investigation into the treatment practices and reevaluation strategies for individuals with ASD is required.

This qualitative study explored the experiences of individuals living with a sibling diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and how these individuals make meaning of this experience. The data for this study was collected from five (5) individuals between the ages of 12 and 19, who shared their experience of living with siblings diagnosed with ASD. The data was analysed using the interpretative phenomenological analysis method (IPA). I conclude that although living with a sibling diagnosed with ASD is a challenging experience, the way one makes meaning from the experience contributes greatly to their interpretation of their experience thereof; and therefore, making it a positive experience. The participants in this study showed great maturity and resilience. The findings of this study will be useful to parents, professionals and those who engage with individuals living with a sibling diagnosed with ASD. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology in Research Consultation)

Affecting one in every 68 children, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one of the fastest growing developmental disabilities. Scientific research has proven that early behavioral intervention can improve learning, communication, and social skills. Similarly, studies have shown that the usage of of-the-shelf technology boosts motivation in children diagnosed with ASD while increasing their attention span and ability to interact socially. Embracing perspectives from different fields of study can lead to the development of an effective tool to complement traditional treatment of those with ASD. This thesis documents the re-engineering, extension, and evolu- tion of Ying, an existing web application designed to aid in the learning of autistic children. The original methodology of Ying combines expertise from other research areas including developmental psychology, semantic learning, and computer science. In this work, Ying is modifed to incorporate aspects of traditional treatment, such as Applied Behavior Analysis. Using cutting-edge software technology in areas like voice recognition and mobile device applications, this project aspires to use software engineering approaches and audio-visual interaction with the learner to enhance social behavior and reinforce verbal communication skills in children with ASD, while detecting and storing learning patterns for later study. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

La lecture est une compétence complexe du fait de la multiplicité des processus sousjacents. Il est couramment admis une vue simple de la lecture (Simple View of Reading-SVR, Hoover & Gough, 1990) regroupant ces processus en deux composantes : l’identification de mots écrits et la compréhension. Des difficultés dans l’une, l’autre ou dans les deuxcomposantes entraineraient des difficultés pour accéder à une lecture fonctionnelle (Cain & Oakhill, 2006).Les enfants et adolescents autistes sans déficience intellectuelle (high-functioning with autism spectrum disorders – HFASD) semblent particulièrement affectés par les difficultés en lecture, notamment au niveau des processus de compréhension (Huemer & Mann, 2010). Toutefois, la présence spécifique d’un profil de faible compreneur chez les sujets HFASD ne fait pas consensus et requiert de préciser leurs performances en lecture à partir d’évaluations détaillées pour proposer ensuite des stratégies remédiatives ciblées. L’expansion des nouvelles technologies offre pour cela des perspectives prometteuses.Les thèmes de la lecture, de l’autisme et des technologies informatisées sont ainsi abordés à travers les questions de l’évaluation et de l’entrainement. D’une part, peut-on évaluer simplement mais efficacement la lecture à l’aide d’épreuves informatisées reprenant le cadre de la SVR ? Une telle évaluation peut-elle être pertinente pour comprendre lesdifficultés en lecture des élèves HFASD ? D’autre part, un entrainement informatisé ciblé sur les processus de compréhension, en situation écologique, peut-il être efficace pour remédier aux difficultés en lecture des sujets HFASD ? Comment évaluer l’efficacité et la qualité d’un outil informatisé d’entrainement des processus de compréhension ?Premièrement, un outil informatisé d’évaluation construit sur la base de l’approche SVR a été proposé à 485 élèves du CE1 à la 3ème dans le but d’identifier des profils de lecteurs. Les résultats révèlent la présence de profils de lecteurs variés avec une majorité de bons lecteurs et sept profils de lecteurs en difficultés dont quatre ne sont pas prédits par la SVR remettant ainsi en question la simplicité de cette approche pour modéliser précisément l’habileté en lecture. L’évaluation informatisée a ensuite été proposée à 22 élèves HFASD. Les résultats révèlent des profils variés avec une majorité de lecteurs ayant des difficultés pas nécessairement spécifiques aux processus de compréhension. Ces résultats semblent cohérents avec la forte hétérogénéité de l’échantillon et renvoient à l’exigence d’une évaluation basée sur un cadre de la lecture plus étendu pour ces enfants.Deuxièmement, un outil informatisé d’entrainement de la compréhension ayant fait l’objet d’une validation expérimentale a été proposé à 13 élèves HFASD du CM1 à la 3ème. Une première étude a évalué l’efficacité du logiciel à partir d’un protocole pré-test/entrainement/post-test conçu pour combiner des analyses de groupes et de cas multiples. Les résultats soulignent la nécessité d’utiliser des protocoles spécifiques aux études de cas pour cette population particulière afin de limiter l’impact de l’hétérogénéité intra-individuelle. Les conditions de mises en œuvre de cet entrainement en situation écologique sont discutées. Une dernière étude a examiné les qualités ergonomiques du logiciel d’entrainement à l’aide dequestionnaires complétés par des utilisateurs. Les réponses soulignent la simplicité d’utilisation du logiciel mais également un manque de flexibilité limitant les possibilités de l’adapter à un maximum d’utilisateurs dont les élèves HFASD. Des suggestions d’améliorations sont discutées. / Reading is a complex skill due to the multiplicity of underlying processes. A Simple View of Reading (SVR, Hoover & Gough, 1990) is commonly considered, combining these processes into two components: word reading and comprehension. Difficulties in one, the other, or both, would lead to difficulties in reaching functional reading (Cain & Oakhill, 2006).Children and adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASD) appear to be particularly affected by reading difficulties especially considering comprehension processes (Huemer & Mann, 2010). However, the presence of a specific low comprehender subtype in students with HFASD is not consensus-based and requires to clearly specifying their reading ability on the basis of a detailed assessment in order to provide targeted remediation strategies. The expansion of new technologies offers promising prospects for this.Themes of reading, autism and computerized technologies are thus addressed through the questions of assessment and training. On the one hand, can one simply and efficiently evaluate the reading using computer-based assessment that incorporates the framework of the SVR? Can such an assessment be relevant to understand the reading difficulties of subjects with HFASD? On the other hand, can computer-based training targeting comprehension processes, in an ecological situation, be effective in remedying the reading difficulties of children and adolescents with HFASD? How to evaluate the effectiveness and quality of such a computer-based training tool for comprehension?First, a computer-based assessment tool built on the basis of the SVR framework was proposed to 485 students from grade 2 to grade 9 in order to identify reader subtypes within this population. Results reveal various reader subtypes with a majority of good readers and seven subtypes of readers with difficulties. Four of those seven are not predicted by the SVRthus questioning the simplicity of this framework to accurately model reading skills. The computer-based assessment was then proposed to 22 children and adolescent with HFASD. Results reveal varied subtypes with a majority of readers experiencing difficulties not necessarily specific to comprehension processes. These results seem consistent with thestrong heterogeneity of the sample and call for the need to provide an assessment based on a wider reading framework for these children.Secondly, a computer-based training tool for comprehension was proposed to 13 HFASD students from grade 1 to grade 3. This tool has already been validated experimentally with typically developing children and adolescents exhibiting specific low comprehender subtype. A first study investigated the effectiveness of the software from a pretest/training/post-test protocol designed to combine group and case study analyzes. The results emphasize the need to use protocols specific to case study for this particular population in order to limit the impact of intra-individual heterogeneity. The conditions for implementing this training in an ecological situation are discussed. A final study examined the ergonomic qualities of the training tool using questionnaires completed by users. Answers emphasize the tool’s simplicity of use but also a lack of flexibility limiting the possibilities to adapt it to a maximum of users of which the subjects with HFASD. Suggestions for improvements are discussed.

Background: The autism spectrum disorder is increasing in our society. Autism is a spectrum of conditions characterized by difficulties in understanding. Symptoms of autism can change with a right support. Aim: The purpose of the study is to use Bronfenbrenner’s theory in order to analyse forms of support for children and young adults on the autism spectrum disorder. I will use Bonfrenbrenner’s ecological system theory in my literature review in order to emphasize on different systems that influence support. Systems include microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem and chronosystem. Method: General literature study where the results are based on both quantitative and qualitative research from databases EBSC host, APA psycinfo and APA psycArticles all of which created 9 studies. Results: The results show that more support is needed in school and habilitation centers for children and young adults with autism spectrum diagnosis. An increase in knowledge about the autism spectrum disorder is needed among parents, teachers and personal assistants. The results show that different forms of support help individuals with autism spectrum disorder to develop different skills. With proper communication, follow-up, mapping in behavioural therapy, socialstories and by creating clear circumstances can develop more skills individually. There is support for autism spectrum disorder in schools and kindergarten, but more support is needed. Support from technology has an important role in society. Follow-up for the individuals with autism spectrum disorder needs to start as early as possible. The findings show that with laterfollow-up or no follow-up, the autistic symptoms can re-appear. The result also show that sometimes parents may be influenced by cultural factors, which may prevent them from seeking support. Conclusion: Different forms of support have a developmental effect for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. More forms of support are needed in the society. Individuals with autism diagnose need constant follow-up support to develop skills. Children who received support at an early age developed better than those who received support later.

Poor post-school outcomes for young adults with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have underscored the need to gain insight into the use of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in the planning and implementation of transition services. EBPs for effective transition planning and implementation have been documented in the literature but do not appear to be fully utilized in practice to achieve desired student outcomes, reflecting a research-to-practice gap. EBPs have the potential to produce positive outcomes at the high school level, if implemented with fidelity. Special education personnel, especially administrators, play a vital and unique role in transition planning. They can either facilitate or hinder the process. This phenomenological study investigated the perceptions of public school administrators regarding the extent of their awareness of EBPs to ensure the successful transition of students with ASD and associated barriers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 secondary-level public school administrators. Major themes identified through analyzing the qualitative data included (a) a positive vision for students with ASD, (b) characteristics of a good transition program, (c) administrators' roles in the transition process, (d) barriers to EBP implementation, (e) strategies to reduce barriers, and (f) ownership of what administrators can do to remedy the problem. Lastly, the study generated recommendations to assist school districts with improving transition services for students with ASD.