Effective Procedures to Reduce Inappropriate Behaviors in Students with Autism

Principal Investigator:
Kristen Godsey

Faculty Advisor:
Randi Sarokoff

Abstract:
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder exhibit persistent difficulties in social communication and often have restricted and repetitive patterns of sensory behaviors and interests. Behaviors such as stereotypy, or repetitive operant motor movements which are often contextually inappropriate, and self-injury, are a few of the barriers that interfere with the daily lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Research has examined a variety of procedures that have been used to reduce these inappropriate behaviors, ultimately improving the lives of individuals with autism. A literature review was conducted to identify effective procedures for reducing inappropriate behavior in individuals with autism. A survey was used to investigate if the procedures from this literature review are being used by professionals in the field, and if so, how effective they found those procedures to be. It is hypothesized that the results from the survey will show most of the participants have used the following interventions: functional communication training, sound attenuating headphones, and differential reinforcement of alternative behavior. Moreover, it is hypothesized that these procedures would be found to be the most effective by participants who used them. It is also hypothesized that the least effective interventions will be social stories and response-cost procedures.