Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities最新文献

Choice-making for individuals with disabilities is an important topic in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Choice is a fundamental human right, and opportunities to make decisions about an individual's own life honors and respects dignity and autonomy. This study explores the beliefs and practices of behavior analysts in relation to choice-making for individuals with disabilities. A total of 81 practicing behavior analysts participated in an online survey that assessed their training experience, beliefs about choice, and reported practices regarding choice in ABA service delivery. The survey responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test to compare beliefs and practices. Results showed that while most behavior analysts strongly agreed that choice should be incorporated into ABA services, discrepancies were observed between beliefs and actual practice regarding various factors that influence opportunities to make choices. Multiple barriers to providing choice-making opportunities were identified. The findings underscore the need for increased training and coursework on the subject of choice as well as changes in practice.

This study explored overlaps in diagnosis and characteristics of children (9–16 years old) with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attachment Disorder (AD) as they related to Executive Function (EF) to determine whether differences in EF would differentiate between the two conditions. A sample of 79 pupils with comorbid learning disabilities was examined in terms of their clinical diagnoses and psychometric traits, as well as on four EF tasks (WCST, Hungry Donkey, Stroop, and Tower of London). 25% of the sample met clinical diagnostic criteria for both ASD and AD, and a similar overlap was noted when using psychometric assessments. Little difference between the EF performances of individuals with ASD and AD was noted. There was slightly better AD performance on cold EF tasks requiring attentional shifting, and slightly better performance for ASD on hot tasks requiring inhibition. However, these differences would be of limited use in differentiating between the conditions for a learning-disabled population.

We explored assent procedures to promote assent and treatment effectiveness for an autistic adult. The objective, at the request of the participant, was to evaluate an innovative approach to (a) identify aversive auditory stimuli and (b) teach Steven, a 19-year-old male, appropriate responses in the presence of these stimuli without directly exposing him to the stimuli. The results suggest that the procedures effectively identified auditory stimuli for assessment and taught the participant to avoid the aversive stimuli appropriately (that is, in ways that were not dangerous). Through the implementation of this novel approach, assent and treatment effectiveness were enhanced for the autistic individual.

In alignment with the rallying cry of the self-advocacy movement, it is critical to center the perspectives of people with disabilities about their lived experiences. Yet, little is known about how youth with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) engage in self-advocacy and civic engagement in special education. We conducted focus groups with 15 transition-aged youth with IDD across four states about self-advocacy and civic engagement. Youth with IDD reported engaging in self-advocacy at school, but outside of their individualized education program meetings. Parent advocacy and positive partnerships with educators promoted youth self-advocacy. Youth reported minimal involvement in civic engagement, but they had suggestions for systemic changes to special education. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Multi-sensory rooms were originally intended as a leisure option for people with severe disabilities living in institutions. Their use has extended far beyond this and proponents, particularly equipment suppliers, continue to claim a range of benefits beyond provision of a leisure experience. We review the literature on the effects of MSEs on people with developmental disabilities other than autism spectrum disorders. The research examined was predominately of very poor quality, limiting conclusions that can be drawn. MSEs were used in a variety of ways with the wide range of outcomes measured addressing reduction of challenging behaviours and promoting more desirable behaviours. The majority of reported results were mixed or negative, with better quality studies more likely to report no effects. Overall, based on the available evidence, the use of MSEs cannot be recommended as an intervention option for individuals with developmental disabilities, but they may have a limited role as a leisure option.

There is little understanding of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior as preventive health behaviors in autistic adults. Technology has been used as an educational and social intervention tool for autistic individuals, yet it is also associated with low PA and high sedentary time (ST) in the neurotypical population. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of self-reported PA and ST and their relationships with various technology uses in autistic adults. We employed a Qualtrics online survey that consisted of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form, Sedentary Behavior Questionnaire, and National Alliance for Mental Illness’s digital technology use survey. 229 responses (74.6% under 35 years of age; 64.1% males) satisfied the response validity criteria and were included in the analyses. The majority of participants (78%) met the recommended PA amount of ≥ 600 metabolic equivalent of task (MET)-minutes/week (median, 1,812 total MET-minutes/week), but they were also overly sedentary on both weekdays (median, 8 h/day) and weekends (median, 7 h/day). Stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed that variance of ST in weekday (45%) and weekend (43%) was largely explained by quality of life (β = -0.31; β = -0.33) and technology use time (β = 0.31; β = 0.26) (all p < .01). While technology can be an effective tool to support social and academic abilities in autistic adults, the use of technology devices needs to be monitored with care as it may put these individuals at risk for sedentary lifestyles and associated chronic diseases.

Purposes

Few studies focus on the mental health of deaf population. This study aims to explore the association between social support and optimism and advance knowledge of why and for whom increased social support was effective. 771 deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) students from two special education colleges in China were investigated. Questionnaires regarding social support, belief about adversity and optimism were distributed online. Multivariate linear regression and structural equation model were performed to examine mediating and moderating effects. This study found that perceived social support was positively associated with optimism in 771 Chinese college students who were D/HH. The study also found that having a belief in being able to face adversity successfully was associated with great social support. The relationship between a positive perspective regarding dealing with adversity and optimism was moderated by gender. For females, a positive belief regarding dealing with adversity was related to optimism. For males there was no relationship between belief about adversity and optimism. Additional consideration needs to be given to those D/HH students who report little social support and to females who do not believe they can successfully overcome adversity. Our study identified the risk population for intervention to improve mental health and well-being in D/HHcommunities.

This qualitative study used an inclusive and participatory research approach to examine the perspectives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) on instrumental supports. Instrumental supports include concrete and direct ways people assist others in solving a problem or accomplishing a task, including helping to access and navigate formal supports and services. Natural supporters play essential roles in setting up and maintaining formal supports for individuals with IDD. Family members that provide instrumental support are responsible for integrating the formal and informal supports for the best mix of supports based on the person with IDD’s needs and preferences. This study examined the instrumental support people with IDD received from and gave to their families related to physical support, healthy living, financial support, and navigating formal services. Thirty virtual interviews were conducted using the dyadic interview method with 10 adults with IDD and 10 family members who they chose. Findings showed that people with IDD received natural supports from their family in numerous areas including physical help, support to be healthy, and financial support. Also, families helped with formal supports by navigating the system of services for people with IDD. In addition to receiving support from their families, people with IDD also provided some reciprocal support to their families, specifically in the areas of physical help and healthy living. Implications for practice and policy are shared along with directions for future research.

Escape extinction has been identified as an effective treatment for feeding problems. However, negative side effects, such as extinction bursts and emotional responding, may occur with escape extinction. In some cases, treatment without escape extinction may be unsuccessful. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate modifications that may optimize the effects of escape extinction while keeping inappropriate mealtime behavior low. First, an assessment was conducted to determine the starting point for treatment, which was different for each participant. The condition that produced higher levels of acceptance and lower levels of inappropriate mealtime behavior (low response effort) was identified as the starting point for the stimulus (bolus) fading plus escape extinction treatment. Acceptance increased for all three participants with a variety of foods using an antecedent-based intervention in combination with escape extinction. Although escape extinction was part of the final treatment, inappropriate mealtime behavior was relatively low at the onset of treatment. These data are discussed in relation to motivating operations and negative reinforcement.

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face many barriers to meaningful inclusion, including limited language and communication skills. Professionals, such as speech-language pathologists (SLPs), can provide personalized instruction to promote skill development and inclusion. Providing opportunities for individuals to express preferences and choice, such as the multiple stimulus without replacement preference assessment (MSWO; DeLeon & Iwata 1996), within these programs, further increases skill acquisition and social interaction. However, limitations in professionals’ knowledge and skills in performing assessments can be another barrier to meaningful inclusion for individuals with IDD and traditional training methods can be challenging and time consuming. The purpose of the current study was to compare the use of artificial intelligence with traditional pen and paper self-instructional MSWO training methods for five preservice SLPs. Fidelity of implementation and duration of assessment were measured. Results demonstrated a large increase in implementation fidelity for two participants, a moderate increase for two participants and a slight increase for the remaining participant while using artificial intelligence. All participants demonstrated a decrease in scoring errors using artificial intelligence. Regarding duration of implementation, artificial intelligence resulted in a significant reduction for four participants and a moderate reduction for the remaining participant. Results of the follow-up survey suggest that all adult participants and both child participants found that artificial intelligence had a higher treatment acceptability and was more effective at producing socially significant outcomes than traditional methods. Recommendations for clinicians and future research are discussed.