Date of Award
Winter 12-13-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Paige Boydston paigeboydston@pittstate.edu
Second Advisor
Bridgette Fincher bfincher@pittstate.edu
Third Advisor
Jamie Wood jwood@pittstate.edu
Keywords
autism, early intensive behavioral intervention, verbal card sort method, applied behavior analysis
Abstract
Early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) is one way to remediate social deficits, skill detriments, and problematic behaviors of children diagnosed with ASD (e.g., Cohen et al., 2006; Lovaas, 1987; Smith, 2001; Waters et al., 2020). Effective EIBI includes fast-paced instruction, 35-40 average treatment hours a week, and an early age at the start of intervention (Lovaas, 1981). Positive outcomes of EIBI include fine and gross motor skill acquisition, placement in a typical education classroom, increased language, and decreased problematic behaviors (e.g., Cohen et al., 2006; Lovaas, 1987; Smith, 2001; Waters et al., 2020). One method of EIBI with very little research is the Verbal Card Sort method. The purpose of the study was to compare two discrete trial training methods on service provider instructional intensity, as well as the effect of instructional intensity on skill acquisition in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Seven service providers and four children between the ages of 3 and 6 with ASD were recruited from an autism clinic and placed into dyads. A multiple baseline across dyads design was used to evaluate increases in instructional intensity following the implementation of the Verbal Card Sort method. Rate of instructions per hour and cumulative mastered targets were calculated across historical, baseline, and intervention for all dyads. The card sort method was effective at increasing rate of instructions per hour of five out of six dyads (range = 27.00% - 127.00%) and increasing rate of mastered targets for three out of six dyads (range = 4.76% - 39.39%).
Recommended Citation
Mansel, MacKenzie, "A Comparison of Discrete-Trial Techniques on Direct Service Provider Productivity" (2024). Electronic Theses & Dissertations. 613.
https://digitalcommons.pittstate.edu/etd/613
