The Effects of Social Autopsy Using Behavior Contingency Maps on Social Communication Behaviors of A Child at Risk for ADHD

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of social autopsy using behavior contingency maps on social communication behaviors of a 5-year-old girl at risk for ADHD. The study applied a multiple-probe baseline design across behaviors which was composed of baseline, intervention, and maintenance phase. The independent variable was social autopsy using behavior contingency maps, and the dependent variables were ‘talking to adults in honorifics’, ‘face-to-face interaction with peers’, and ‘talking with peers at an appropriate distance’. Data were collected by the event recording method and each occurrence rate was calculated. The results shows that all three social communication behaviors were effectively enhanced and maintained with a level improvement of more than 50% on average and PND of 100%. Behavior contingency maps helped a young child to understand the contents of social autopsy. This study results suggest that social autopsy using behavior contingency maps can be used as an effective intervention in order to improve social communication behaviors of young children at risk for ADHD.