Prompting independent leisure using environmental cues in adolescents with autism

Document Type

Thesis

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Degree

M.S. Applied Behavior Analysis

Date Completed

2023

First Committee Member

Bancroft, Stacie

Second Committee Member

Ahearn, William H.

Third Committee Member

Thompson, Rachel

Abstract

"Individuals with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder can present with deficits in independent leisure skills. For those with severe needs, transitioning to adulthood may include adult day programs or residential placements in which having the skills to independently engage in leisure may profoundly impact their experience and quality of life. The purpose of this study is to teach two young adults to independently initiate a preferred leisure activity in the absence of structured activity from a caretaker through the transfer of stimulus control from a vocal directive to contextual cues. The participants in this study included two young adults with autism, Jason who was 20 years old and Cathy who was 17 years old. Both were enrolled in a residential school for children and young adults with autism. The participants first participated in a brief version of the response restriction preference assessment (BRR). Following the BRR, clinicians established vocal stimulus control over the directive to play with toys. During this phase, participants sat at a desk with leisure items in the room. Clinicians gave the directive to “play with toys” and provided least-to-most physical prompting to the participants to engage with the items. During the second experimental phase, participants cycled between structured work with the clinicians and unstructured leisure in the absence of adult attention. A reversal contingency was implemented with both participants. Results of this study showed that the described protocol may be useful in teaching independent leisure initiation."

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