Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities最新文献

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.

Advancing interventions and supports for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) requires understanding that ASD is a lifelong developmental difference. However, little is known about the unique experiences of autistic young adults, parents, and community providers in the Latino community. The purpose of this study was to improve access to inclusive community based setting by identifying and learning about barriers and needs experienced by young adults, parents, and community providers of autistic individuals across the lifespan, but particularly during the transition to adulthood. Ten community providers, eighteen parents of autistic children, and five young adult self-advocates participated in focus groups. Parents discussed difficulties in accessing services throughout their child’s life that made the transition to adulthood difficult. Themes highlighted important cultural values that can influence the transition to adulthood for Latinos and the difficulty in accessing bilingual service providers and services. Parents displayed significant advocacy skills and resourcefulness. We present recommendations shared by young adults, parents, and providers on ways to improve access to services and develop interventions for autistic young adults and parents. The present study has important implications regarding advancing interventions and supports for autistic young adults and their parents in the Latino community by developing culturally adapted services.

Young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) on college campuses are vulnerable to exclusion and a lack of social participation. However, peers can provide meaningful supports to young adults with IDD in the area of social/communication skills. The purpose of this study was to enhance the conversation skills of four young adults with IDD (ages 22–23) during their regular lunch breaks on a university campus. The dependent variable was percent of conversational engagement during 10-min audio recorded sessions as measured using partial interval recording procedures. Typically developing peers served as peer coaches and provided structured or natural supports. Experiment 1 used an alternating treatments design to compare the effects of peer coaching alone vs. peer coaching + goal setting with two adjacent baseline conditions and a final student-choice condition. Results for Experiment 1 indicated peer coaching alone and the additive effects of goal setting was more effective than natural supports only. Experiment 2 used a withdrawal design to compare the effects of young adults with IDD speaking with fellow classmates with disabilities vs. peers without disabilities. Participants in Experiment 2 demonstrated higher levels of conversational engagement when speaking with peers without disabilities in a natural manner. Social validity of the different peer-mediated interventions was overall high for all participant types as reported on questionnaires and exit interviews. We provide implications for practice and suggestions for future research related to peer-mediated interventions for young adults with IDD on college and university campuses.

Water safety skills are vital for the safety and well-being of all individuals but especially for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Research regarding on-deck water safety behaviors and water safety skills for individuals with ASD levels 2 and 3 is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of behavior analytic strategies in teaching water safety skills to children diagnosed with ASD level 2 and 3. A multiple-probe design across three participants was utilized in which participants did not enter intervention until their baseline data were stable and the participant before had stable intervention data. Each participant engaged in 100% of the measured water safety behaviors by the end of the study. The results suggest that this intervention may increase safe on-deck behavior in a community pool setting. Suggestions for future research and implications for practice are discussed.

Children with neurodevelopmental disabilities are among the most vulnerable to experiencing exclusion from community settings. Informal education settings (IES), such as camps, museums, and zoos, provide rich learning opportunities beyond the classroom, yet inclusion efforts have primarily focused on physical accessibility. A review of research is needed to identify practices that support the participation of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities in these settings. We used a scoping review framework to determine what research exists concerning the participation of individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities in informal education settings, what practices are used to foster participation in informal education settings for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and what are the outcomes of these practices on participation. Forty-six studies using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods designs were included, with 24 taking place in inclusive settings or programs. The review found that children with neurodevelopmental disabilities continue to experience barriers to inclusion in informal settings, and there are positive outcomes associated with specialized and therapeutic as well as inclusive camps. Moreover, behavioural supports result in increases in social skills and decreases in interfering behaviour in informal settings and caregivers and children with neurodevelopmental disabilities have positive attitudes toward specialized programming. Encouraging and sustaining a variety of options, including inclusive and specialized programs, is likely to support and enhance inclusion. Future studies on inclusive practices in IES should include measures of the degree and quality of participation, including measures of the subjective experiences of participants.

Compared to solids, less paediatric feeding research has targeted liquids, medication, and teaching independence skills (e.g., fork, chopsticks). No research to our knowledge has reported transitioning from spout squeeze ‘baby food’ pouches, increasing finger-feeding, and teaching steps in scooping, sipping, and biting off portions. We detail a clinical case and depict data teaching comprehensive mealtime independence using multi-element and multiple-baseline designs. A 3-year-old male with paediatric feeding disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), and autism spectrum disorder (level 3) had only one independent skill (yogurt pouch via spout). He did not finger-feed, self-spoon-feed, self-drink, or cup-drink. He participated in a home-based intensive 2-week behaviour-analytic treatment programme. We conducted an assessment comparing novel pouch transition apparatuses, then used pouch-to-spoon fading to teach spoon self-feeding. We taught independence in finger-feeding, open-cup drinking, and four methods of medication administration, then open-cup bolus sipping, self-scooping, biting off portions, fork, and chopsticks (11 skills). He met 100% of goals. Caregivers reported high social validity and relevant culturally significant information, and gains generalised and maintained in follow-up.

Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) is a common strategy for escape-maintained behaviors targeted for reduction (i.e., targeted behavior) exhibited by youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities. DRA often involves various methods of prompting to ensure the instruction or task remains in place until contingencies for the DRA are met. Currently, there is little research on client preference for these different prompting strategies in the context of DRA treatments. The current study includes four participants diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who exhibited targeted behavior maintained by escape from instructional tasks. We evaluated efficacy and preference for three prompting strategies (three-step least-to-most, repeated vocal prompt, or a single initial prompt) embedded in a DRA treatment aimed at reducing targeted behavior (e.g., aggression) and improving task completion. For all participants, more than one prompting strategy was effective when positive was combined with negative reinforcement in the DRA. We then implemented a concurrent-chains assessment to determine client preference, a rank-order task for caregiver preference, and an acceptability questionnaire for therapists. Two participants demonstrated a clear preference, and preference was obtained from a total of two caregivers and seven therapists. The initial and repeated verbal prompts were most preferred. Results are discussed in the context of client autonomy and incorporating choice in treatment planning.

Functional communication training (FCT; Carr & Durand, 1985) is frequently utilized as a treatment for socially maintained problem behavior (Tiger et al., 2008). Although FCT is a viable treatment option for the reduction of problem behavior, researchers have identified several variables related to the selection of the functional communication response (FCR) topography that may influence treatment outcomes, including individual and caregiver preference. However, there may be times in which the target individual and caregiver preference do not match. Given this, there is a need for procedures to identify and compare both child and caregiver preferences. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify a preferred FCR topography via mand topography assessment and compare results of the mand topography assessment with a formal assessment of caregiver preference. We found that both child and caregiver participants demonstrated a preference for at least one FCR topography. Although we identified a preference for both the child and caregiver participants, child and caregiver preference did not match, except for a partial match for one caregiver-child dyad. Clinical implications and recommendations for navigating next steps when client and caregiver preferences do not align are discussed.

Video activity schedules are a combination of video modeling and activity schedules that teach a singular task or a series of tasks to be completed. Instead of a sequence of pictures, videos demonstrate to the learner what is expected to be done. Research has focused heavily on using video activity schedules to teach daily living or vocational skills; however, there is a lack of research on using video activity schedules to teach play skills. In this study, a non-concurrent multiple baseline design across participants was used to evaluate the effect of a video activity schedule to teach four dyads of autistic children how to play cooperative games during a summer day camp. Results indicate that all participants learned how to play the game, including during generalization and maintenance probes. A limitation within the study was a lack of data collected for social communication and social validity. Future research should collect social communication data and/or other measures like indices of happiness (e.g., smiling, laughing, etc.).

Legislative mandates dictate that students with disabilities are provided instruction, services, and supports needed to progress in school (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA] Part B, 2004) which can be in the form of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) for children three and under, and 504 plans. A number of studies have highlighted the ways in which these formal educational processes may increase stress among parents (Rios et al., Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 73(March), 101534, 2020). However, formal educational processes may also be protective in the context of parents’ experiences of affiliate stigma and their perceptions of family-school partnerships, which have not been widely examined, particularly among Latino parents of children with disabilities. The current study examined the relationship between affiliate stigma, or the parent’s internalized stigma related to the child’s disability, and family-school partnerships in a sample of 141 Latino parents. In the current study we also examined whether the presence of a formal education plan (e.g., IEP, IFSP, 504 plan) moderated the relationship between affiliate stigma and family-school partnerships. We found that higher parent engagement but not affiliate stigma was related to significantly stronger family-school partnerships. In the sample 60% of parents reported that their child had an education plan, and presence of such a plan moderated the relationship between affiliate stigma and family-school partnerships. Recommendations are made for future research and practice related to supporting Latino parents within the special education system.