Previous research has indicated success using Social Stories with preschoolers with mild levels of autism. The purpose of this study was to determine if Social Stories implemented in the home setting would be effective with preschool children diagnosed with moderate to severe autism. Social Stories were implemented with 3 male preschool-aged participants. Two were classified as in the moderate range and one was in the severe range of autism. A variety of socially inappropriate behaviors were addressed including inappropriate dinnertime behaviors, transitioning to bedtime, and inappropriate touching. Data revealed no significant change in target behaviors (dinnertime behaviors and transitioning to bedtime) exhibited by moderately functioning preschool children. However, data did reveal a decrease in the frequency of inappropriate touching from the child who fell in the severe range of functioning. It is not clear from the current research whether it was the severity level of autism or the types of target behaviors that may have resulted in a lack of success using the Social Story intervention.

published_or_final_version / Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine / Master / Master of Philosophy

While there is considerable evidence that applied behaviour analysis (ABA) is an efficacious treatment for Autistic Disorder (AD) in a controlled research setting, the effectiveness of current applications of ABA in the South African context have not yet been established. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an intensive ABA programme for a young child with AD. A single case study was conducted using a within-subject, repeated measures, evaluation design. The ABA treatment, an applied verbal behaviour version ofABA (AVB/ABA), was implemented by behaviour consultants and technicians at TRIAD (Therapy and Research in Autistic Disorders): a private centre in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, that specialises in the behavioural treatment of children with AD. The subject was a young boy, who was diagnosed with AD at the age of 21 months, initiated treatment at TRIAD at 22 month of age, and underwent 20 hours of treatment per week over a 22 month period. Cumulative outcome data across all learning domains was obtained using the standard outcome measure at the centre: the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS). The ABLLS was administered by a senior behaviour consultant on five occasions, namely at baseline (i.e., at 0 months); at various intervals throughout the intervention (at 2,3, and 14 months); and in the final week of the study period (at 22 months). Results were tabulated and converted into linear graph format by the researcher. In addition, the caregiver was asked to rate the child's progress on a five point Likert scale as a means of establishing the social validity of the behaviour change. Visual inspection of the linear graphs revealed that the subject improved considerably across all ABLLS domains over the 22 month period and the child's caregiver rated that his behaviour had "significantly improved" since the onset of the intervention. In addition, at the end of the 22 month treatment period, the subject was enrolled in a mainstream school with the assistance of an aide and was engaging with same-age peers. The present study thus provides support for the effectiveness of the AVBIABA programme at TRIAD, contributes to the existing ABA outcome literature, and provides further evidence for the efficacy of the AVB approach to ABA. Furthermore, results confirm the role of predictor variables, such as age at onset, hours of treatment, skill acquisition rates, and parental involvement. Finally, given the gains made in the present study, it is suggested that the initial cost of intensive treatment may be economical in the long term. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2008.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Movement plays an important role in a child’s life. Typically developing children develop motor skills as they explore their environment. Motor skills are important, as they contribute to a child’s overall wellbeing, assisting in play, academics, social development and physical activity. These motor milestones developed during childhood, and can be used as indicators of atypical development. Children with a complex neurodevelopmental disorder such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) show signs of atypical development, as they are recognised as being clumsy and uncoordinated in their gross and fine motor skills. Besides motor delays, parents and caregivers report that children with ASD also exhibit delays in social communication, interaction and repetitive behaviours and interests, during the early stages of development. Research has suggested a possible relationship between motor and social development. For example, motor skills are important as they provide children with the necessary tools to successfully engage in physical activity, socially communicate and interact with peers. Children with ASD, however, participate in physical activity less often than typically developing children which hinders the mastery of motor skills, in turn causing social isolation and further social dysfunction. Interventions are, therefore, necessary to provide children with ASD opportunities to learn the essential gross motor skills, which could help them improve their self-esteem, leading to increased participation in physical activity and further social skill development. The purpose of the current study was to implement a 12-week specialised group intervention programme to improve the gross motor and social skills of selected children diagnosed with ASD between the ages of 8 and 13 years. In the Cape Town area, a governmental school for autistic learners was recruited to take part in this study, as the school divided learners into classes based on their level of autistic function. Therefore, the sample in the current study was a sample of convenience. Two classes (N=7) at the school participated; 1 formed the experimental group (n=4) and the other the control group (n=3). The children completed the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2), and parents or legal guardians and teachers of participants filled out the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2) questionnaire. This was done to provide an overview of the children’s fine and gross motor and social skill proficiency. A 12-week group intervention programme was designed and then implemented by the researcher, with the focus on improving overall gross motor proficiency and social skills of participants in the experimental group. The effect of the 12-week group intervention programme was determined by analysing and comparing the pre- to post-test results. The group-time interaction effect was examined to determine if the experimental group presented a different effect from the control group over time. The main findings of the current study showed that the 12-week group intervention programme made significant improvements in the total motor proficiency as well as in the balance subtest of the MABC-2 in children with ASD. Significance was also found within the experimental group in the aiming and catching subtest of the MABC-2. Unfortunately, the current study found no significant improvements after the 12-week group intervention programme in total social skill competency, as well as in all subtests of the SRS-2 in children with ASD. The current study shows the effectiveness of a 12-week group intervention programme on the gross motor skills of children with ASD. The findings also suggest that social skills should be taught alongside motor skills, in order to achieve positive outcomes in both aspects of development. Further investigation is needed with regards to the relationship between motor and social skills, as well as additional examinations as to whether improved motor skills, results in improved social development. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Beweging speel ʼn belangrike rol in ʼn kind se ontwikkeling tot ʼn volwaardige volwassene. Kinders sal tipiese motoriese vaardighede aanleer soos hulle hul omgewing verken. Motoriese vaardighede is belangrik omdat dit tot akademiese, sosiale, fisieke, speel aktiwiteite en ʼn kind se algehele welstand bydra. Die mylpale wat gedurende die kinderjare bereik word, is ʼn belangrike aanwyser van atipiese ontwikkeling. Kinders met ʼn komplekse neuro-ontwikkelingsversteuring soos Outisme Spektrum Versteuring (OSV), toon tipies tekens van atipiese ontwikkeling omdat hulle onbeholpe en ongekoördineerd in hul groot en fynmotoriese vaardighede voorkom. Afgesien van motoriese agterstande rapporteer ouers en versorgers dat kinders met OSV gedurende die vroeë kinderjare ook agterstande in sosiale kommunikasie, interaksie en herhalende gedrag en belangstellings toon. Navorsing toon ʼn moontlike verhouding tussen motoriese en sosiale ontwikkeling. Motoriese vaardighede is belangrik omdat dit kinders met die nodige vaardighede toerus om fisieke aktiwiteite suksesvol uit te voer, om te kan speel, om te sosialiseer en om met hulle eweknieë te kan verkeer. Kinders met OSV sal tipies aan minder fisieke aktiwiteite as kinders wat normaal op dié gebiede ontwikkel, deelneem en sodoende sal dit tot verdere sosiale isolasie en sosiale disfunksie aanleiding gee. Intervensies is daarom, belangrik om kinders met OSV geleenthede te bied om die noodsaaklike grootmotoriese vaardighede, wat hul selfagting kan verhoog, hul deelname aan fisieke aktiwiteite kan verhoog en verbetering in sosiale ontwikkeling kan aanmoedig, aan te leer. Die doel van die huidige studie was om met ʼn gespesialiseerde groep intervensieprogram die grootmotoriese en sosiale vaardighede van ʼn geselekteerde groep kinders, tussen die ouderdom van 8 en 13 jaar, wat met OSV, gediagnoseer is te implementeer. Een regeringskool vir Outistiese leerders in die Kaapstad omgewing is geselekteer om aan hierdie studie deel te neem. Omdat die skool die leerders in klasse op grond van hul graad vlak van Outisme verdeel, is daar van ʼn gerieflikheidsteekproef gebruik gemaak. Leerder in twee klasse (N=7) van die skool het deelgeneem; 1 groep was die eksperimentele groep (n=4) en die ander groep (n=3) die kontrolegroep. Die kinders het die Movement Assesment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2), voltooi en die ouers of die wettige voogde en onderwysers het die Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS=2), vraelys voltooi. Die is gedoen om ʼn oorsig van die kinders se fyn- en grootmotoriese- sowel as sosiale vaardighede te bekom. Die 12-week groep intervensieprogram wat op die algehele verbetering van groot motoriese- en sosiale vaardighede van al die deelnemers in die eksperimentele groep gefokus het, is deur die navorser ontwikkel en geïmplementeer. Die effek van die 12-week groep intervensieprogram is deur die ontleding en vergelyking van die voor- en na-toets data bepaal. Die groep-tyd interaksie-effek is ondersoek om te bepaal of die eksperimentele groep 'n ander effek as die kontrole groep met verloop van tyd toon het. Die belangrikste bevindinge van die huidige studie het getoon dat die 12-week groep intervensieprogram aansienlike verbeteringe in die totale motoriese vaardigheid, sowel as in die balans sub-toets van die MABC-2, by kinders met OSV te weeg gebring het. Betekenis is ook binne die eksperimentele groep by die mik- en vang sub-toets van die MABC-2 gevind. Ongelukkig is geen betekenisvolle verbeteringe in sosiale vaardighede, sowel as in al die sub-toetse van die SRS-2 by die kinders met OSV gevind nie. Die huidige studie het die doeltreffendheid van 'n 12-week groep intervensieprogram op die grootmotoriese vaardighede van kinders met OSV getoon. Die bevindinge dui ook daarop dat sosiale vaardighede saam met motoriese vaardighede aangeleer moet word, om sodoende positiewe uitkomste in beide aspekte van ontwikkeling te kan bereik. Verdere navorsing met betrekking tot die verhouding tussen motoriese en sosiale vaardighede is nodig, sowel as verdere navorsing om te bepaal of verbeterde motoriese vaardighede ʼn verbetering in sosiale ontwikkeling sal toon.

Autistic adolescents need direct, systematic training of social skills since major difficulties in communication, lack of empathy, and various changes during adolescence present major roadblocks to the acquisition of normal peer relationships and increasing independence. A case study approach was utilized to examine treatment effects of a social skills training program implemented with four autistic adolescent boys in a naturalistic setting. Findings based on objective measures and subjective reports indicated that each subject made gains in targeted social skills over the course of treatment. Treatment strategies such as modeling, coaching, roleplaying, one to one instruction, and in vivo procedures were found to be effective teaching techniques. Major benefits and limitations of the study were discussed.

published_or_final_version / Music / Master / Master of Philosophy

A longitudinal study of infants and their mothers was conducted to explore the development of imitation and approximations to imitation. During a 10-minute unstructured play session, researchers observed two mother-infant dyads once per week for twelve weeks, while they played at home. The data presented represents infants between the ages 5 and 34 weeks. The methodology employed was based on the methods described by Hart and Rilsey (1999). Observations were coded based on the topography of the mother's and infant's behavior and included vocalizations, facial movements, motor movements, and object manipulation. The data are analyzed and discussed in terms of its relevance to autism intervention.

Early and intensive behavioral intervention outcome research includes descriptions of intervention variables that may increase treatment success. This study was designed to develop an observation system that incorporates and expands on some of these variables. Measures include the number of interventionist teaching units, types of skills addressed during instruction, consequences programmed by interventionists, and engagement with teaching materials. This system allowed for a view of the differences in teaching behaviors among the participants. It is proposed that this observation system is a start toward standardized intervention measures that can be applied to evaluate varied treatment models. Such standardization can help in ensuring that all children have access to evidence-based services.

Rapport has been acknowledged as an important variable in therapeutic contexts. The current evaluation defined and assessed rapport quality between children with autism and behavioral therapists based on behavioral correlates. In addition, the author evaluated the effects of an operant discrimination training procedure to enhance rapport levels for therapists with low levels of rapport. More specifically, the current study evaluated: (a) if the discrimination training procedure would establish therapists’ social interactions as a discriminative stimulus and (b) if social interaction would function as a conditioned reinforcer for novel responses. Results suggest that the discrimination training procedure was successful in conditioning social interaction as a reinforcer for all child participants, and as a result, rapport increased.

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of child-centered play therapy (CCPT) on the social competence, empathy, and self-regulation of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The constructs of social competence, empathy, and self-regulation were measured using the Social-Emotional Assets Rating Scale (SEARS). This study utilized a single-case design; the researcher collected data throughout the duration of the study, including baseline, treatment, and follow-up phases. The sample included 5 children ranging from ages 6 to 8 years old: 3 Caucasian males, 1 African-American female, and 1 Latin-American female. Mothers of the participants completed the parent form of the SEARS once per week throughout all phases of the study. During the treatment phase of the study, the children participated in CCPT approximately 2 times per week for 30 minutes each time. Visual analysis of the data indicated play therapy was beneficial for three participants, as they demonstrated improvements in social competence, empathy, and self-regulation. Two participants responded to the intervention with mixed results. Discussion includes implications for clinical practice and future research as well as limitations of the study.