Abstract
A multiple single-subject design research study was completed to determine the benefits of sensory regulation strategies paired with social skills training on the development of social skills among preschool-age children with autism spectrum disorder. Four participants attended four baseline and seven group intervention sessions. Three of the four participants demonstrated significant improvements in peer interactions and responding behaviors.
Primary Author and Speaker: Orley Templeton
Additional Authors and Speakers: Lori Charney, Heather Bennett, Molly Betz, Kelly Byrne, Jame Duffy
A rapidly growing population of youth, “(one in 59) children aged 8 years” (Baio et al., 2018, Results, para 1) is diagnosed yearly with autism spectrum disorder. As compared to neurotypical children, children with autism spectrum disorder often have ineffective social responses and tend to prefer engagement in goal directed parallel play versus collaborative group play (Bauminger et al., 2008). Many children diagnosed with ASD also present with poor sensory processing skills, decreased cognitive flexibility, impaired processing, decreased joint attention and an over-reliance on external prompts (Ashburner, Ziviani & Rodger, 2008; Hume, Loftin & Lantz, 2009). These deficits can impair a child’s participation in occupations surrounding social participation, such as developing friendships, playing with others, and successfully participating in the academic and/or future vocational environment (Bauminger, 2002; Case-Smith & Arbesman, 2008; Hume, Loftin, & Lantz, 2009). Gillis and Butler (2007) noted that “reinforcement, prompting, and modeling” were the most commonly used strategies to improve the quality of peer interactions in play based activities of preschool children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (p. 542). However, the majority of these intervention programs were developed and led by educators and researchers (Gillis & Butler, 2007). The purpose of this research was to determine the benefits of a group based occupational therapy program incorporating sensory based strategies and social skills training, on the development of social skills among preschool aged children with autism spectrum disorder. A multiple single subject design research study was completed with four, preschool aged children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and sensory processing impairments. Participants attended four baseline and seven intervention sessions lasting one hour, once per week. The Social Skills Rating Form was administered by the researchers during each session to rate the participants on five social skills: initiating behaviors, responding behaviors, emotional regulation, self-regulation and peer interactions (Charney et al., 2016). Using visual analysis and the binomial test, three of the four participants demonstrated significant improvements in peer interactions and responding behaviors. Two out of the four participants demonstrated a significant increase in initiating behaviors. Understanding the effectiveness of an occupational therapy group based intervention can guide development of future intervention for preschool children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Future studies should include greater number of participants, use of additional intervention sessions and pairing of participants with peers of similar abilities.
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Case-Smith, J. & Arbesman, M. (2008). Evidence-based review of interventions for autism used in or of relevance to occupational therapy. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62, 416-429. doi:10.5014/ajot.62.4.416
Gillis, J. M., & Butler, R. C. (2007). Social skills interventions for preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder: A description of single-subject design studies. Journal of Early & Intensive Behavior Intervention, 4, 532-547. doi: 10.1037/h0100390