Association for Behavior Analysis International

The Association for Behavior Analysis International® (ABAI) is a nonprofit membership organization with the mission to contribute to the well-being of society by developing, enhancing, and supporting the growth and vitality of the science of behavior analysis through research, education, and practice.

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41st Annual Convention; San Antonio, TX; 2015

Event Details


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Symposium #206
CE Offered: BACB
An Evaluation of Social Skills Groups for Individuals Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Sunday, May 24, 2015
2:00 PM–3:50 PM
Grand Ballroom C1 (CC)
Area: AUT; Domain: Applied Research
Chair: Sandra L. Harris (Rutgers University)
Discussant: Robert K. Ross (Beacon ABA Services)
CE Instructor: Justin B. Leaf, Ph.D.
Abstract: Individuals diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder have qualitative impairments in social behaviors, tend to have fewer meaningful relationships, and are more likelihood to be lonely or depressed. One form of intervention which is commonly implemented to individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder are social skills groups. This symposium will present four papers on the implementation of a social skills group for individuals diagnosed with autism. The first presentation will provide an historic overview of the clinical implementation of social skills groups as well as the empirical evidence of social skills groups for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The second presentation will describe a study which taught eight children how to play a variety of games within the context of the social skills group. The third presentation will describe a study which taught a variety of specific social behaviors within a context of a social skills group. The final presentation will describe the results of a randomized control trial looking at the overall effectiveness of social skills groups as they relate to individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Clinical recommendations and ideas for future areas of research will be described throughout the symposium.
Keyword(s): group instruction, play skills, social skills, teaching interaction
 
Behaviorally Based Social Skills Groups for Individuals Diagnosed with Autism: A Clinical and Research Review
MITCHELL T. TAUBMAN (Autism Partnership), Justin B. Leaf (Autism Partnership Foundation), Ronald Leaf (Autism Partnership), John James McEachin (Autism Partnership)
Abstract: Individuals diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder have qualitative impairments in social behaviors, tend to have fewer meaningful relationships, and are more likelihood to be lonely or depressed. Today, there are several procedures that are being implemented to teach social behaviors to individuals diagnosed with autism, which include procedures that are non-empirically based (e.g., social stories, social thinking, Floor Time) and procedures that are empirically based (e.g., video modeling, behavioral skills training, the teaching interaction procedure). One teaching procedure that has been implemented clinically and has preliminary research on its effectiveness is behaviorally based social skills groups. The purpose of this talk is to provide an overview, historical analysis, and review of the research on the implementation of behaviorally based social skills groups for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The presenter will describe the evolution of social skills groups, the limitations in the current research, and how research has translated to clinical practice. Both clinical recommendations and areas for future research will be discussed.
 
Group Implementation of the Cool versus Not Cool Procedure to Teach Game Play
JEREMY ANDREW LEAF (Autism Partnership), Christine Milne (Autism Partnership), Donna Townley-Cochran (Autism Partnership Foundation), Justin B. Leaf (Autism Partnership Foundation), Mitchell T. Taubman (Autism Partnership), John James McEachin (Autism Partnership), Ronald Leaf (Autism Partnership Foundation), Misty Oppenheim-Leaf (Behavior Therapy and Learning Center)
Abstract: In this study, we taught three different play activities (i.e., the sleeping game, fruit salad, and mouse trap) as part of a comprehensive social skills group for eight young individuals diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Each target game promoted peer social interaction and included many embedded instructions (e.g., attending, conditional instructions, observational learning) within the game. To teach each of the games the researchers implemented a group cool versus not cool teaching procedure. The teaching procedure consisted of the researchers modeling the behavior (i.e., playing the games) both appropriately and inappropriately, having the participants rate the researchers’ model, and having each participant role-play the behavior with the researchers. Naturalistic probes (unprompted and unreinforced opportunities) were utilized to evaluate skill acquisition for each of the participants. We utilized a multiple baseline design across each of the three games and replicated across the eight participants. Results indicated that participants were able to learn each of the three games and were able to maintain game play after intervention was terminated. Clinical recommendations and areas for future research will be discussed.
 
Teaching Social Behaviors to Individuals with Autism: Within the Context of a Social Skills Group
CHRISTINE MILNE (Autism Partenrship Foundation ), Jeremy Andrew Leaf (Autism Partnership), Donna Townley-Cochran (University of North Texas), Justin B. Leaf (Autism Partnership Foundation), Mitchell T. Taubman (Autism Partnership), Misty Oppenheim-Leaf (Behavior Therapy and Learning Center)
Abstract: Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders have qualitative impairments in social behavior which may limited their ability to develop meaningful friendships and may decrease their overall quality of life. In this study, we taught 17 children to be more aware of their environment, make comments about their environment, and increase their social communication during non-instructional periods of time. The teaching took place as part of a comprehensive behaviorally based social skills group for young individuals diagnosed with autism. A cool versus not cool teaching procedure was utilized to teach each of the skills. The teaching procedure consisted of the researchers modeling the behavior both correctly and incorrectly, having the participants rate the researchers’ model, and having each participant role-play the behavior with the researchers. Naturalistic probes (unprompted and unreinforced opportunities) were utilized to evaluate skill acquisition for each of the participants. We utilized a multiple baseline design across each of the specific social behaviors and replicated across the 17 participants. Results indicated that participants were able to learn each of the targeted skills and maintain the skills after intervention had concluded. Clinical recommendations and areas for future research will be discussed.
 
The Effects of A Social Skills Group for Individuals with Autism: A Randomized Control Trial
JUSTIN B. LEAF (Autism Partnership Foundation), Mitchell T. Taubman (Autism Partnership), Misty Oppenheim-Leaf (Behavior Therapy and Learning Center), Jeremy Andrew Leaf (Autism Partnership), Donna Townley-Cochran (Autism Partnership), Christine Milne (Autism Partnership Foundation ), Ronald Leaf (Autism Partnership), John James McEachin (Autism Partnership)
Abstract: Researchers have demonstrated that social skills groups may be beneficial for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder; however, there remain several concerns that still must be addressed in the researcher. This project evaluated a 16 week behaviorally based social skills groups for young children diagnosed with and autism spectrum disorder. The sixteen participants were randomly divided into either a treatment group or a waitlist control group. Each participant was evaluated on multiple formal assessments which looked at social behaviors, adaptive functioning, language capabilities, and aberrant behaviors. These formal assessments were completed by a blind evaluator, parents, each participants teacher, the leaders of the social skills group, and the researchers of the project. The formal assessments were provided prior to the first group receiving intervention, after the first group had concluded, and after the second group had concluded. These measures allowed us to evaluate the overall increases in social behavior in the treatment group and to determine if there are differences between the treatment group and waitlist control group. Results from this project will help answer questions regarding the efficacy of behaviorally based social skills groups for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.
 

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