Attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders diagnosed among children and adolescents. ADHD is associated with a wide range of health and developmental risks, emotional and behavioral disorders, lack of social skills, and academic underachievement. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the preschool life skills (PLS) program in teaching important life skills to a 5‐year old girl being assessed for ADHD. The participant was taught eight PLS, divided into three units that focused on instruction following, functional communication, and tolerance skills. Teaching included instructions, modeling, role‐play, and feedback/descriptive praise. The PLS program effectively increased PLS, and skill achievement was only evident when teaching targeted each unit of skills.
Objective: Effective school-based interventions for youth with ADHD are critical to their success. We examined whether teacher application of such interventions and perceptions of professional support related to greater well-being, including fewer burnout symptoms. Method: Teachers in primary schools in Iceland were invited to participate in an online survey, including questions about professional support and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). The sample comprised N = 592 (88.5% female) participants. Results: Regression analyses indicated that use of recommended ADHD interventions was positively associated with MBI-Personal Achievement (PA). Greater satisfaction with professional support related to lower MBI-Emotional Exhaustion and MBI-Depersonalization, and higher MBI-PA. Level of professional support was positively associated with use of recommended interventions. Conclusion: Effective interventions and support for students with ADHD may enhance teacher well-being. Icelandic teachers require further training and professional support in best practices for ADHD, to help promote teacher and student success.
Transition from preschool to elementary school can be difficult, especially for children that have not acquired important life skills. The preschool life skills (PLS) program was developed as a class-wide program to teach typically developing preschool children important social and communication skills. PLS is an effective method for teaching children social skills as well as reducing problem behavior. However, there is a need to further evaluate the feasibility and generality of the program across different cultural contexts. The aim of this study was to evaluate an abbreviated version of the PLS program in a typical Icelandic preschool, with a preschool teacher as the primary implementer. PLS increased the likelihood of the occurrence of instruction following, functional communication, and decreased problem behavior for most children.
Behavior analysts must base their practices on both the conceptual foundations and the validated technologies of our field. In recognition of these important facets of effective practice, Mayville and Mulick (2011) have produced an edited book aimed at "developing the conceptually sound and procedurally innovative behavior analysts that are so badly needed" (p. x) within the burgeoning field of autism treatment. We summarize the content of this book and evaluate its utility to practitioners working with people with autism spectrum disorders. Keywords: applied behavior analysis, autism, book review, practitioners ABSTRACT I
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