autism exam 2

Question 1

fad intervention

Answer 1

a “craze”; short-lived; widespread
autism treatment is largely considered a “fad magnet”
these interventions are not based on science and their effectiveness has not been researched

Question 2

science, evidence-based treatment

Answer 2

-relies on experimental approach to show that an intervention works
-uses methods that can rule out alternative explanations: experimental design, not based on case studies, anecdotes, or correlation
-verifies findings by replication by other researchers
-objective data collection
-defined variables
-clearly explained treatments that connect what is known
-peer review
-self-correcting attitude

Question 3

pseudoscience

Answer 3

-a method that seeks confirmation of an already accepted conclusion
-uses practices that are said to be based on scientific method and theory, but are often anecdotes, case studies, and research designs that do not rule out others
-described in a way that make them appear scientific: use jargon, endorsed by people with credentials
-purposeful misrepresentation of facts/evidence

Question 4

scientific method

Answer 4

observation/question - research topic area - hypothesis - test with experiment - analyze data - report conclusions that either support or refute hypothesis

Question 5

anti-science

Answer 5

-rejection of scientific method as a way of gaining knowledge
-failure to recognize the importance or existence of objective facts

Question 6

self-correcting attitude

Answer 6

science has a self-correcting attitude, which means that it identifies where improvements can be made and corrections are made when needed

Question 7

differences between pseudoscience, science-based, and anti-science with respect to autism interventions and a method of obtaining knowledge in general

Answer 7

-science/evidence-based treatments only make up 1% of treatments available, even though there are hundreds of treatments for autism that can be found online
-pseudoscience and fad therapies are not reliable for autism interventions
-science & evidence-based interventions are based on experiments that prove that interventions work & can rule out other possible explanations

Question 8

why are pseudoscientific interventions a problem for autism

Answer 8

-pseudoscience interventions are problematic for autism treatment, because they are not helpful or accurate
-pseudoscience treatments claim to have high success rates, promise a quick fix, and have lots of other red flags
-such as: training is not needed, heavy use of jargon, often contradict science or common sense, need “faith” for intervention to work, critical of testing the intervention, ignore negative findings, hostile towards critics, and avoid peer review

Question 9

reasons why parents might choose a non-evidence-based practice

Answer 9

parents choose fad therapies for multiple reasons, such as:
-lack of understanding about what science is
-lack of critical thinking skills
-pressure to act quickly & achieve the best results (science based interventions take years of work, involve parents and are costly)

Question 10

how to identify science-based and pseudoscientific interventions

Answer 10

scientific:
-use evidence to inform belief, relies on entire body of evidence
-conservative claims that are tentative & change based on new evidence
-precise & measurable terminology conductive to understanding & replication
-knows, understands, & applies logic with body of evidence to defend position
-views critics as colleagues; seeks criticism & refutation
pseudoscience:
-forms beliefs first & selects evidence to confirm; disqualifies/rejects opposing evidence
-grandiose claims uncoupled from evidence; dogmatic & unchanging when provided new & conflicting evidence
-convoluted evidence w jargon to elude criticism; inhibit replication & defund outstanding findings
-relies on logical fallacy & selected evidence to advance a position
-views critics as enemies; avoids criticisms & condemns dissent; works alone
-

Question 11

augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)

Answer 11

-communication tools for for those with limited or no vocal speech
-2 types of AAC systems: topography based and selection based

Question 12

topography based systems

Answer 12

one of the two AAC systems
-unaided/does not include external materials
-different form of a response for different meanings
includes:
-gestures
-manual signing (ASL)
advantages:
-may be easier for someone with intellectual disability to learn
-hands are always there
disadvantages
-requires fine motor skills
-not universally understood
-each sign needs to be taught

Question 13

selection based system

Answer 13

one of two types of AAC system
-aided/involve use of a device or communication aid
-series of meaningful symbols
-learner responds to the symbol to communicate
includes:
-speech generating devices
-iPad systems
-PECS
advantages:
-easy to update/maintain
-portable
-pictures are understood by most
-can be used to teach sentence structure
-once the response it taught, new pictures can be introduced without additional response teaching
disadvantages:
-less efficient with longer utterances
-binders become cumbersome as vocabulary grows
-pictures can get lost

Question 14

picture exchange communication systems (PECS)

Answer 14

-picture exchange communication system
-a selection based AAC system
-individual with autism learns to give picture of desired object to communication partner, who immediately honors the exchange as a request
-goal is to teach functional communication

Question 15

echoics

Answer 15

one of the 4 verbal behavior vocabulary words
-repeating what was heard

Question 16

reciprocal interactions

Answer 16

exchange in which individuals or objects exhibit similar behavior, either at the same time or in a back-and-forth manner
-part of typical development occurring at 6-12 months

Question 17

tact

Answer 17

one of the 4 verbal behavior vocabulary words
-object/stimulus identification

Question 18

semantics

Answer 18

a part of language that is concerned with the meaning of words
-study of meaning of words, sentences, and phrases
-what a speaker conventionally means (objective or general meaning) - not what he is trying to say

Question 19

mands

Answer 19

one of the 4 verbal behavior vocabulary words
-asking for what you want

Question 20

nonverbal communication

Answer 20

-ability to read and understand other’s facial expressions and gestures

Question 21

broca’s area

Answer 21

-plays a critical role in language
-controls the ability to speak words

Question 22

wernicke’s area

Answer 22

-plays a critical role in language
-controls the ability to understand the meaning of words

Question 23

pivotal response training (PRT)

Answer 23

-play-based behavioral treatment
-target pivotal areas of development instead of working on one specific behavior
-this means that treatment spans & improves areas like communication, behavior and learning
-major component of ABA treatment

Question 24

expressive verbal language

Answer 24

the ability to express a person’s wants and needs through verbal communication
-sentences make sense and are grammatically correct
-the “output” of language

Question 25

response to joint attention (RJA)

Answer 25

JA: coordination of attention between 2 people and an object; active shared experience responding to JA: ability to follow the direction of the gaze and gestures of others in order to share a common point of reference

Question 26

language

Answer 26

one component of communication -system of abstract symbols -rule-governed

Question 27

intraverbals

Answer 27

one of the 4 verbal behavior vocabulary words -responding to someone else's words

Question 28

verbal behavior

Answer 28

-book by BF Skinner that discusses the verbal behavior vocabulary (echoic, mand, tact, intraverbal) -ABA approach to expressive language skills -verbal behavior language can be taught -language assessment & teaching protocol based on BF Skinner's verbal operants (VB-MAPP) verbal behavior-milestones assessment and placement program -used for really young learners

Question 29

VB-MAPP

Answer 29

-language assessment & teaching protocol based on BF Skinner's verbal operants -verbal behavior-milestones assessment and placement program -used for really young learners a criterion-referenced communication assessment

Question 30

communication

Answer 30

ability to use spoken words, gestures, facial expressions, and symbols to convey or receive information, like feelings and thoughts to and from another person -communication allows a person to get their needs met and for relationships with others

Question 31

discrete trial instruction

Answer 31

involves breaking skills down into smaller components and teaching those smaller sub-skills individually -repeated practice of skills is conducted -teachers may incorporate prompting procedures as necessary

Question 32

receptive language

Answer 32

-how we interpret language and understand others -can often be a challenge for kids who have been diagnosed with autism -the “input” of language -the ability to understand and comprehend spoken language that you hear or read

Question 33

initiating joint attention (IJA)

Answer 33

involves use of gestures and eye contact to direct others' attention to objects, to events, and to themselves

Question 34

video modeling

Answer 34

-video demonstration of the behavior -learner then practices the modeled behavior

Question 35

syntax

Answer 35

the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language

Question 36

typical early language development across different developmental stages

Answer 36

-3 months: will coo, smile and laugh, begin to play with sounds & communicate with gestures like waving and pointing. -4-6 months: start babbling, make single-syllable sounds like ‘ba’, babbling is followed by the ‘jargon phase’ (‘speech’ won’t sound like recognisable words) -10-11 months: baby might speak their first word and know what it means. -12 months: baby should be using gestures -12-18 months: say a few words and know what those words mean

Question 37

communication differences in children with autism

Answer 37

impaired joint attention, language (verbal and nonverbal)

Question 38

importance of communication

Answer 38

communication allows a person to get their needs met and for relationships with others to be created

Question 39

foundational skills for typical language development

Answer 39

foundational skills: -joint attention: coordination of attention between 2 people and an object; active shared experience -communicative intent: speaker intends to convey something to another person -symbol use: a word (spoken or written), gesture, picture used to convey meaning

Question 40

list and describe the verbal operants

Answer 40

4 verbal operants -mand: asking for what you want -tact: object/stimulus identification -echoic: repeating what was heard -intraverbal: responding to someone else's words

Question 41

importance of language assessments

Answer 41

-critical when beginning intervention -determine client's developmental level -determine what skills a client has -on-going assessment: change intervention to meet needs -point to areas that need intervention

Question 42

considerations for language/communication assessment (10)

Answer 42

-frequency of social-communication interactions with others -how interactions are initiated -purpose of the interaction (request something, protest, shared experience) -joint attention -symbol use (eye gaze, gestures, facial expression) -play skills (parallel play, pretend play) -spoken language skills -activities the client enjoys -client strenghts -preferred way to learn

Question 43

distinguish between norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessments

Answer 43

norm-referenced: compare the client's language skills to a group of peers -standardized assessments -get a percentile score -typically focus on 1 aspect of language (labeling) -used in many states to determine eligibility for services criterion-referenced: compare client's language skills to a predetermined standard -establish a baseline for each skill (what the client can and cannot do) -point to specific areas for intervention

Question 44

describe AAC interventions

Answer 44

-augmentative and alternative communication -communication tools for those with limited or no vocal speech -2 types: topography based and selection based -topography: unaided, does not include external materials -selection: aided, use device or communication aid

Question 45

how did the schedule/routine for the parents and for tristan differ? how does this help tristan?

Answer 45

Tristan has a separate schedule made for himself that involves pictures of his daily activities -this helps him understand that there is a schedule to every day & it is not fully random -Tristan's schedule did not include times on it like the family's did, his was only very simple pictures and words -His also had removable pictures that could be taken off once the activity is completed

Question 46

what were the 3 steps used in the intervention to get tristan to speak?

Answer 46

1. finding something Tristan likes enough that he'll try to talk for it (in the video, this was swings) -this gives him opportunity to speak 2. prompting him to talk (stopping activity & saying word to him hoping he'll repeat word to continue activity) 3. rewarding him for any attempt or any good word

Question 47

when tristan needed to speak to get what he wanted, what did he do first? how did the mom and Dr. Koegel respond?

Answer 47

he started to throw tantrums/get upset and lash out when he was made to speak in order to get the preferred activity -they did comfort him but had to continue stopping the activity in order to give him more opportunities to speak -can't give him the prefered activity even when he would cry because it's not a good way to communicate - he must use communication and words

Question 48

how does this intervention procedure differ from AAC systems and the interventions discussed in the chapter?

Answer 48

this intervention procedure is different from both types of AAC systems. Like topographical, it is unaided, but topographical systems use gestures or manual signing. Tristan's intervention forced him to use words (or attempt to) without gestures or signing.

Question 49

prompting

Answer 49

one of the 4 performance enhancement strategies for social communication -cues and other support to guide the client to perform the behavior -can be: vocal, gesture, physical, or model

Question 50

common social skills performance deficits

Answer 50

impaired: -nonverbal communication -social reciprocity -social initiation -social cognition those with ASD less likely to: -respond to initiations from others -approach & imitate peers -share toys -offer assistance to others -seek or respond to adult attention -interactions are often repetitive, one-sided or unusual

Question 51

social reciprocity

Answer 51

poor "give-and-take" in the interaction; one-sided interactions

Question 52

gesture

Answer 52

part of nonverbal communication a movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, to express an idea or meaning. -children with autism have impaired use and understanding of gestures -this is an early sign of impaired social communication & skills

Question 53

motivating operations (SEAT)

Answer 53

one of the principles of behavior there are 4 functions of behavior: -attention (provide access or awareness to/from people or interactions) -escape (remove undesired activities, interactions or situations) -tangible (provide preferred activities or items) -sensory (provide stimulation to pleasure zone of brain)

Question 54

social initiation

Answer 54

one of the common social skills deficits those with ASD have trouble with initiation -difficulty starting interactions with others OR frequent but inappropriate approaches -trouble initiating interactions with peers and adults -trouble initiating new tasks by themself

Question 55

social scripting

Answer 55

-one of the skill acquisition strategies for social communication -uses storytelling techniques to explain new experiences, environments, and interactions to Autistic people through simple language and images -ex: someone is annoying me - 1) look at them 2) put my hand up in a 'stop' sign 3) say to the person "stop it, I don't like it"

Question 56

social problem solving

Answer 56

one of the skill acquisition strategies for social communication -very advanced skill -uses roleplaying and situations -could include asking for help

Question 57

social cognition

Answer 57

impaired understanding of other's thoughts, intentions, motives and behaviors

Question 58

peer-mediated intervention

Answer 58

one of the 4 performance enhancing strategies used in social communication -used to teach typically developing peers ways to interact with and help learners with ASD acquire new social skills by increasing social opportunities within natural environments

Question 59

self-monitoring

Answer 59

one of the 4 performance enhancing strategies used in social communication -goal is for student to be able to record and track their own behavior -act of assessing, recording and tracking own behavior can change the frequency of behaviour -can increase/decrease frequency, intensity, and duration of existing behavior

Question 60

social stories

Answer 60

one of the skill acquisition strategies for social communication -presenting social concepts and rules to children in a brief story -individualized and made based on the child's need -written at the child's level -written in a way pleasing to the child -personalized

Question 61

common social skills deficits in autism

Answer 61

-nonverbal communication: ability to read and understand other's facial expression and gestures -social reciprocity: poor "give-and-take" in the interaction; one-sided interactions -social initiation: difficulty starting interactions with others OR frequent but inappropriate approaches -social cognition: impaired indersanting of other's thoughts, intentions, motives, and behaviors

Question 62

assessment considerations related to social skills

Answer 62

-norms and conditions in the client's home -availability of natural reinforcers for the target -behavior of typically developing peers -current communication skills -presence of competing behaviors or reinforcers -relevance across multiple contexts

Question 63

distinguish between acquisition vs performance deficits

Answer 63

-performance deficit: refers to a skill or behavior that is present, but not demonstrated or performed -skill acquisition deficit: refers to the absence of a particular skill or behavior

Question 64

3 common mistakes in teaching social skills

Answer 64

-not doing an assessment -teaching at too high a level -not using explicit teaching techniques

Question 65

describe some social skill acquisition strategies

Answer 65

4: -video modeling -social problem solving -social scripting -social stories

Question 66

describe some social skills performance enhancement strategies

Answer 66

4: -prompting -reinforcement -self-monitoring -peer-mediated intervention

Question 67

lower-order RRB

Answer 67

repetitive sensory motor stereotypies -body movements (hand flapping, body rocking) -repetitive manipulation of objects -speech: echolalia -self-injurious behavior (head banging, eye poking)

Question 68

higher-order RRB

Answer 68

cognitive behaviors -compulsions -insistence on sameness -rituals and routines -formulaic phrases -circumscribed interests

Question 69

shared characteristics for both categories of RRBs

Answer 69

-behavior involves repetition -behavior is rigid -behavior is invariant

Question 70

functions of RRBs

Answer 70

to gain access to something -increase arousal (physiological response) -increase stimulation -access items in the environment -access social interaction to escape from something -decrease arousal from external stimuli -reduce stress or anxiety -block out unpleasant feelings -get out of doing a task -remove social interaction

Question 71

functional analysis

Answer 71

manipulation of environmental variables to determine effect on behavior -allows you to determine function -involves: antecedent & consequence behaviors

Question 72

antecedent

Answer 72

comes before the behavior may trigger a behavior ex: school bell rings indicating end of recess behavior: Ethan pushes peer

Question 73

consequence

Answer 73

after/follows the behavior ex: Ethan given time out & consequently attention from peers & teachers

Question 74

attention condition

Answer 74

one of the 5 functional analysis conditions -therapist is in the room but does not interact with the client unless the RRB occurs -therapist gives attention if target behavior occurs

Question 75

play condition

Answer 75

one of the 5 functional analysis conditions -client and therapist engage in a preferred task -therapist gives regular attention

Question 76

tangible condition

Answer 76

one of the 5 functional analysis conditions -client has access to an item or activity for a brief period -therapist then removes the activity -if RRB occurs, then therapist returns the items/activity

Question 77

escape condition

Answer 77

one of the 5 functional analysis conditions -client is asked to complete a task -if RRB occurs, then therapist removes the task demand for a short period

Question 78

alone condition

Answer 78

one of the 5 functional analysis conditions -client is alone in the treatment room -if target behavior occurs, no consequence is delivered

Question 79

visual schedule

Answer 79

an antecedent strategy -images or words to indicate daily activities

Question 80

non-contingent reinforcement

Answer 80

an antecedent strategy -delivery of a reinforcement independent and regardless of the performance of a specific behavior -rewards are not given based on behavior, instead on passage of time

Question 81

response interruption and redirection

Answer 81

a consequence strategy -physically or vocally stop the RRB right when it begins -redirect the client to a more appropriate behavior

Question 82

lag schedule

Answer 82

a consequent strategy used to increase variability in behavior used for people with ritualized behaviors -only reinforce a behavior when it is different from a previous behavior -LAG 2: every other response has to be different in order for reinforcement to occur (can be any Lag #)

Question 83

differential reinforcement

Answer 83

a consequent strategy -DRO and DRA -selectively reinforcing desired behaviors while withholding reinforcement for undesired behaviors

Question 84

DRO

Answer 84

differential reinforcement of other behavior

Question 85

DRA

Answer 85

differential reinforcement of alternative behavior

Question 86

behavior skills training

Answer 86

a consequent strategy -specifically teaching replacement behaviors

Question 87

RRB (restrictive and repetitive behavior)

Answer 87

very broad category of behaviors that is divided into 2 categories: -repetitive sensory motor stereotypies -insistence on sameness

Question 88

distinguish between the types of RRBs

Answer 88

lower vs higher order -lower = sensory motor stereotypies -higher = cognitive behaviors

Question 89

discuss RRBs in and out of autism

Answer 89

RRBs are not limited to ASD seen in those with: -sensory impairments -intellectual disability -other diagnoses -neurotypical people seen as: foot tapping, nail biting, leg shaking, hair twirling, listening to same song, watching same TV/movie many times

Question 90

discuss when intervention is required for RRBs

Answer 90

it is a problem when the behaviors are: -socially stigmatizing -causing family stress -limiting interactions with peers/others (lost opportunities to learn via observation) -interference with classroom engagement and learning -is potentially harmful (self-injurious behaviors)

Question 91

describe assessment considerations for RRBs

Answer 91

3 questions 1. what is the nature of the RRB? 2. does the RRB have negative impacts on the person? (if the answer to this is no, then leave the behavior alone) 3. why is the RRB occuring/what is its function?

Question 92

describe specific intervention strategies

Answer 92

intervention strategies are determined based on assessment results antecedent -altering the environment & identifying triggers -increase structure (unstructured time increased RRBs) -visual schedules -provide non-contingent access to preferred items consequent -changing the outcome of behavior -response interruption & redirection -lag schedules -differential reinforcement -behavior skills training

Question 93

compare and contrast FC with AAC interventions

Answer 93

FC: -depend on others to communicate -disproven in numerous studies, anecdotal reports -cites miraculous changes and major improvements very quickly -counters well-established scientific theories and facts -no systematic training needed to facilitate -impossible to replicate -allegedly instant results AAC: -goal is independence from others & functional communication -many studies and results supporting method -requires highly-trained personnel to implement practices -progress is often slow and varies for each person -results in functional communication

Question 94

FC (aka S2C or rapid prompting method) and the problems with these interventions

Answer 94

facilitated communication and speech to communication

Question 95

5 principles of behavior that interventions are based on

Answer 95

-reinforcement -punishment -extinction -stimulus control -motivating operations

Question 96

7 principles of ABA

Answer 96

GETACAB -generality -effective -technological -analytic -conceptually systematic -applied -behavioral Applied -Socially significant/meaningful to client and family -Will improve way of life Behavioral -Observable and measurable -What we SEE (different than mental health therapy) -We avoid “I feel” (i.e., private events, thoughts, feelings) Analytic -The data Technological -Replicate it to ensure others can mimic our intervention Generality -Ensure behaviors can overlap in other settings, i.e., from home to school vice versa Conceptually systematic -Research based and emphasize principles of behavior Effective -Is it working?

Question 97

what type of study was used to disprove the effects of FC

Answer 97

double blind study -researcher and participants don't know what stimulus each person received -study proved that facilitator was playing unconscious role in affecting communication