The Effects of Behavioral Skills Training on Reciprocal Greetings With Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Date of Award
2023
Call Number
9798380041560
Document Type
Open Access Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)
Department
School Psychology
First Advisor
Steege, Mark
Second Advisor
Wickerd, Garry
Third Advisor
Blair, Sammantha
Keywords
PsyD; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Behavioral Skills Training; Generalization; Social skills
Abstract
Social skills are a pragmatic and vital part of living and functioning. While typically developing children are able to naturally pick up on social skills and cues from adults, peers, and siblings, many individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have more difficulty and need to be explicitly taught these skills (Christopher & Shakila, 2015). Examples of early prerequisite social skills include orienting oneself to the other person and making eye contact during social interactions (Christopher & Shakila, 2015). However, such social interactions may not be innately motivating for individuals with ASD (Harper et al., 2007). Research by Hobson & Lee (1998) found that individuals with ASD were less likely to make eye contact even after being greeted by an adult. Additionally, individuals with ASD imitate less and are less interested in symbolic play (Harper et al., 2007). Teaching students with ASD how to interact with others is as important as pre-academic skills and should begin in preschool years. Evidence-based approaches for teaching individuals with ASD include Behavior Skills Training (Nuernberger et al., 2013) and Social Stories™ (Chung et al., 2007). The current study implemented a short-term intensive treatment package that combined these approaches and utilized Social Stories™ as the didactic component in the model. The goal was to increase the participant’s reciprocal greeting skills using the Behavioral Skills Training Model with Social Stories™. In combination with peer exposure, adult training was used to increase the participant's greeting responses across settings and people. This study demonstrated that the treatment package was effective in increasing reciprocal greetings and facilitated the generalization of the skill to peers and familiar adults.
Recommended Citation
Cucchi, Carissa, "The Effects of Behavioral Skills Training on Reciprocal Greetings With Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder" (2023). All Student Scholarship. 431.
https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/etd/431
