This study investigated the effects of a peer network strategy on the duration of social interaction and social---communicative skills for 3 students with autism. Typical peers, 5 students per site, were selected based on peer status (popularity with classmates) and teacher nomination. Each network of peers received eight 30-minute training sessions during which social skills---including initiating and responding, conversing, sharing, giving instructions, and saying nice things---were modeled by the experimenter with role-play practice by the students and feedback. The target students with autism received training in the use of an augmentative communication system along with two training sessions in social skills with their peer network. Feedback and reinforcement for appropriate behaviors and interaction continued throughout the intervention phases. A multiple baseline design across settings was employed to document the effects. Dependent variables included durations of social interaction time, use of the augmentative communication system by the target students and peers (trained and untrained), language use during 10-minute samples, and disruptive behavior. Results showed increased social interaction time and use of the augmentative communication system for all 3 students, with increased expressive language for 2 students. Increases were also noted in peer nominations of the target student following the intervention.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Carr, E. G., & Darcy, M. (1990). Setting generality of peer modeling in children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 20, 45–59.
2.
Chadsey-Rusch, J. (1986). Identifying and teaching valued social behaviors in competitive employment settings. In F. R. Rusch (Ed.), Competitive employment issues and strategies (pp. 273–287). Baltimore: Brookes.
3.
Dugan, E., Kamps, D., Leonard, B., Watkins, N., Rheinberger, A., & Stackhaus, J. (1995). Effects of cooperative learning groups during social studies for students with autism and fourth grade peers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 28, 175–188.
4.
Dyer, K. (1989). The effects of preference on spontaneous verbal requests in individuals with autism. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 14, 184–189.
5.
Farmer, T. W., & Cairns, R. (1991). Social networks and social status in emotionally disturbed children. Behavioral Disorders, 16, 288–298.
6.
Forest, M. (Ed.). (1987). More education/integration: A further collection of readings on the integration of children with mental handicaps into the regular school system. Downsview, ON: G. Allan Roeher Institute.
7.
Gaylord-Ross, R. J., & Haring, T. (1987). Social interaction research for adolescents with severe handicaps. Behavioral Disorders, 12, 264–275.
8.
Gaylord-Ross, R. J., Haring, T. G., Breen, C., & Pitts-Conway, V. (1984). The training and generalization of social interaction skills with autistic youth. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 7, 229–247.
9.
Goldstein, H., & Cisar, C. (1992). Promoting interaction during sociodramatic play: Teaching scripts to typical preschoolers and classmates with disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 265–280.
10.
Goldstein, H., Kaczmarek, L., Pennington, R., & Shafer, K. (1992). Peer-mediated intervention: Attending to, commenting on, and acknowledging the behavior of preschoolers with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 289–305.
11.
Guralnick, M. J. (1981). Peer influences on development of communicative competence. In P. Strain (Ed.), The utilization of peers as behavior change agents (pp. 31–68). New York: Plenum.
12.
Haring, T. G. (1992). The context of social competence: relations, relationships, and generalizations. In S. Odom, S. McConnell, & M. McEvoy (Eds.), Social competence of young children with severe disabilities (pp. 307–320). Baltimore: Brookes.
13.
Haring, T. G., & Breen, C. B. (1992). A peer-mediated social network intervention to enhance the social integration of persons with moderate and severe disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 319–333.
14.
Haring, T. G., & Lovinger, L. (1989). Promoting social interaction through teaching generalized play initiation responses to preschool children with autism. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 14, 255–262.
15.
Hunt, P., Alwell, M., Goetz., L., & Sailor, W. (1990). Generalized effects of conversation skill training. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 15, 250–260.
16.
Hunt, P., Staub, D., Alwell, M., & Goetz, L. (1994). Achievement by all students within the context of cooperative learning groups. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 19, 290–301.
17.
Kamps, D. M., Barbetta, P. M., Leonard, B. R., & Delquadri, J. (1994). Classwide peer tutoring: An integration strategy to improve reading and promote peer interactions among students with autism and general education peers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27, 49–61.
18.
Kamps, D., Leonard, B., Potucek, J., & Garrison-Harrell, L. (1995). Cooperative learning groups: An integration strategy to improve academic and social performance for students with autism and regular classroom peers. Behavioral Disorders, 21, 88–108.
19.
Kamps, D. M., Leonard, B. R., Vernon, S., Dugan, E. P., & Delquadri, J. (1992). Teaching social skills to students with autism to increase peer interaction in an integrated first-grade classroom. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 281–288.
20.
Kanner, L. (1943). Autistic disturbances of affective content. Nervous Child, 2, 217–250.
21.
Kazdin, A. E. (1982). Single-case research designs: Method for clinical and applied settings. New York: Oxford.
22.
Koegel, R. L., Dyer, K., & Bell, L. K. (1987). The influence of child-preferred activities on autistic children's social behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 20, 243–252.
23.
Koegel, R., & Frea, W. (1993). Treatment of social behavior in autism through the modification of pivotal skills. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26, 369–377.
24.
Krantz, P. J., & McClannahan, L. E. (1993). Teaching children with autism to initiate to peers: Effects of a script-fading procedure. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26, 121–132.
25.
Krug, D. A., Arick, J. R., & Almond, P. J. (1980). Autism screening instrument for education planning. Portland, OR: ASIEP Educational.
26.
Maheady, L., & Sainato, D. M. (1990). The effects of peer tutoring upon the social status and social interaction patterns of high and low status elementary school students. Education and Treatment of Children, 10, 51–65.
27.
Odom, S. L., Hoyson, M., Jamieson, B., & Strain, P. S. (1985). Increasing handicapped preschoolers' peer social interactions: Cross-setting and component analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 18, 3–16.
28.
Ostrosky, M. M., & Kaiser, A. P. (1995). The effects of a peer-mediated intervention on the social communicative interactions between children with and without special needs. Journal of Behavioral Education, 5, 151–171.
29.
Peck, C. A., Donaldson, J., & Pezzoli, M. (1990). Some benefits nonhandicapped adolescents perceive for themselves from their social relationships with peers who have severe handicaps. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 15, 241–249.
30.
Pierce, K. L., & Schreibman, L. (1994). Teaching daily living skills to children with autism in unsupervised settings through pictorial self-management. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27, 471–481.
31.
Quill, K. A. (1995). Teaching children with autism: Strategies to enhance communication and socialization. Albany, NY: Delamar.
32.
Reichle, J., & Brown, L. (1986). Teaching the use of a multipage direct selection communication board to an adult with autism. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 11, 68–73.
33.
Sainato, D. M., Goldstein, J., & Strain, P. S. (1992). Effects of self-evaluation on preschool children's use of social interaction strategies with their classmates with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 127–141.
34.
Sasso, G. M., Garrison-Harrell, L., & Rogers, L. (1994). The conceptualization of socialization and autism. In T. Scruggs & M. Mastropieri (Eds.), Relevant research issues in developmental disabilities (pp. 161–175). New York: Plenum.
35.
Sasso, G. M., & Rude, H. (1987). Unprogrammed effects of training high-status peers to interact with severely handicapped children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 20, 35–44.
36.
Schopler, E., Reichler, R. J., Bashford, A., Lansing, M. D., & Marcus, L. M. (1990). Psychoeducational profile—Revised. Austin, TX: PRO-ED.
37.
Schopler, E., Reichler, R. J., & Renner, R. B. (1988). The childhood autism rating scale. Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services.
38.
Schreibman, L. (1988). Parent training as a means of facilitating generalization of autistic children. In R. H. Horner, S. Dunlap, & R. L. Koegel (Eds.), Generalization and maintenance: Life-style changes in applied settings (pp. 21–40). Baltimore: Brookes.
39.
Strain, P. S. (1981). The utilization of classroom peers as behavior change agents. New York: Plenum.
40.
Strain, P. S., Kohler, F., Storey, K., & Danko, C. (1994). Teaching preschoolers with autism to self-monitor their social interactions: An analysis of results in home and school settings. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 2, 78–88.
41.
Tapp, J., Wehby, J. H., & Ellis, D. N. (1992). A multiple option observation system for experimental studies. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University.
42.
Walker, H., Hops, H., & Greenwood, C. (1988). Social skills tutoring and games: A program to teach social skills to primary grade students. Seattle: Educational Achievement Systems.
43.
Wolfberg, P., & Schular, A. (1993). Integrated play groups: A model for promoting the social and cognitive dimensions of play. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 23, 467–490.
