Date Approved
10-26-2017
Embargo Period
10-26-2017
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
MA Special Education
Department
Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education
College
College of Education
Advisor
Kuder, S. Jay
Committee Member 1
Accardo, Amy
Keywords
Aggression, Autism, Behavior Interventions, Functional Communication Training, Self-Injurious Behavior, Sensory Diet
Subject(s)
Autistic youth--Behavior modification
Disciplines
Special Education and Teaching
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two behavioral interventions of young adults with Autism spectrum disorder that present with aggressive and self-injurious behavior. The results were analyzed to determine the successes and comparisons of the interventions to decrease challenging behaviors. The participants were two young adult male students diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorder, both use an AAC device as their primary means of communication. Data was collected using a reversal (A-B-A-B) study design, with collection during a baseline phase, intervention phase one, reversal withdrawal of intervention phase two and re-implementation of intervention phase three. The independent variables in the study were the sensory diet and functional communication training. The dependent variables in the study were the student's behavior and ability to decrease aggression and self-injury. Overall, the results of the study demonstrated that the use of a strictly regimented sensory diet, which provided the integration of sensory activities every 45 minutes to one hour throughout the course of the school day to be the most effective intervention to decrease aggressive and self-injurious behavior. The study demonstrated results for use of functional communication training intervention to be ineffective.
Recommended Citation
Buck, Tara, "Aggression and self injurious behaviors: the effects of behavior interventions in young adults with autism spectrum disorder" (2017). Theses and Dissertations. 2477.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/2477
