Improving Generalization of Peer Socialization Gains in Inclusive School Settings Using Initiations Training

Abstract

Social engagement by children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in unstructured school settings generally occurs at very low levels, if at all. Although many interventions improve peer socialization, generalization and maintenance of such gains when interventions are faded is typically low. The present study employed a multiple baseline design across participants to target generalization in the absence of interventionists in elementary school children with ASD at recess. Teaching initiations has been suggested as one method to increase generalization. The results of the present study showed that when initiations were targeted during intervention for social play, the participants demonstrated generalized peer social engagement, increases in unprompted peer-directed initiations, and more positive affect during peer interactions. Results are discussed in terms of theoretical and applied implications of incorporating initiations training into social interventions.

Pivotal Response Treatment for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review

“…Of these 35 studies, 18 studies targeted a pivotal skill. Seventeen studies targeted self-initiations (e.g., Koegel et al 2012) and one study targeted motivation (Koegel et al 2010b). Across studies, a variety of untargeted skills or collateral changes were measured.…”

“…For example, Smith et al used the Social Responsiveness Scale (Constantino and Gruber 2005) to identify changes in autism symptoms. Three studies evaluated collateral changes in affect as a result of PRT using rating scales (Koegel et al 2012;Robinson 2011;Vismara and Lyons 2007). Two studies evaluated collateral changes in cognitive functioning as result of PRT Steiner et al 2013), N total number of participants in study, PDD-NOS pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, NR not reported, FU follow-up, Gen generalization, SV social validity, IOA inter-observer agreement, TF treatment fidelity using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning or the MerrillPalmer-Revised Scales of Development (Mullen 1995;Roid and Sampers 2004).…”

“…In two studies, other interventions were implemented; however, these interventions included PRT techniques. Specifically, Koegel et al (2012) used facilitated social play training and Thorp et al (1995) implemented socio-dramatic play training. Five studies did not indicate whether PRT or NLP was implemented, but these studies explicitly stated that the specific motivational techniques inherent to PRT were implemented (Koegel et al 1998a(Koegel et al , 2003a(Koegel et al , 2010a(Koegel et al , b, 1998b.…”

“…Two studies incorporated all seven PRT techniques (Minjarez et al 2011;Suhrheinrich 2011). Several studies incorporated additional intervention strategies, such as multiple cues (e.g., Pierce and Schreibman 1997b), modeling of target response (Stahmer 1995), prompting (e.g., Koegel et al 2012), prompt fading (e.g., Koegel et al 2010a), time delay (Koegel et al 1998a), and narrative play (e.g., Harper et al 2008).…”

Evidence-Based Practice: Inclusive Education for the Effective Implementation for Children With Autism

“…Evidence-based practices (EBPs) are the basis on which teachers and other service providers are required to design educational programs for learners with autism spectrum dis-orders (ASD).Thus, an increasing number of students with disabilities, including those with ASD, are being educated in inclusive settings around the world (Koegel et al 2012). In the course of recent decades, there has been a common and widespread drive by international governments towards inclusion as a model for education.…”