Effects of Self-management on Restricted Repetitive Behavior and Self-Control of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of self-management strategy utilizing discrimination procedures on restrictive repetitive behavior and self-control of students with autism spectrum disorder. The research was designed in use of mixed form of multiple baseline design across settings and changing condition design. The restrictive repetitive behavior, A dependent variable of this study, the repetitive one that is inadvertently emitted ahead of mustering control power to avoid the same, then returning in sticking to the same. The study purports to exhibit both reduction of problem behavior and increase of alternative behavior, then toward generalization in two ways. Target behaviors are defined as compulsive behaviors that would burst out, e.g. bolting just before they are supported to walk forward as an alternative behavior of bolting. The study was conducted in a sequence of preliminary interviews, observation, baseline, intervention, maintenance, and generalization phases. Self-control, which showed low incidence in the baseline, showed rapid behavior change after intervention, 100% increase in maintenance, and effective generalization as vice versa with restrictive repetitive behaviors. which showed low incidence in the baseline, showed rapid behavior change after intervention, 100% increase in maintenance, and effective generalization. In conclusion, self-management through discrimination procedures turned out to have a significant effect on decreasing restrictive repetitive behavior and on increasing self-control of students with autism spectrum disorder throughout intervention, maintenance and generalization phases.