RESUMO
Reliability and validity of three commonly used autism scales, the Autism Behavior Checklist (Krug, Arick, & Almond, 1980), the Real Life Rating Scale (Freeman, Ritvo, Yokota, & Ritvo, 1986), and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (Schopler, Reichler, & Renner, 1988), were investigated. Data analyses were based on completed protocols for 24 children or adolescents who met DSM-III-R criteria for pervasive developmental disorders. First, to replicate previous findings, interrater reliability of each of the two direct observational scales was assessed. Second, correlations between pairs of the three scales were calculated. Third, diagnostic classifications based on autism scale cutoff scores were compared to classifications based on DSM-III-R criteria. Fourth, relationships between autism scale scores and adaptive behavior scores were investigated. Results and implications for the use of these scales in the assessment of autistic behaviors are discussed.
Assuntos
Transtorno Autístico/diagnóstico , Determinação da Personalidade/estatística & dados numéricos , Adolescente , Transtorno Autístico/psicologia , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Escalas de Graduação Psiquiátrica/estatística & dados numéricos , Psicometria , Reprodutibilidade dos TestesRESUMO
Covert food stealing is common among individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome. We found that verbal reprimands, delivered contingent upon eating prohibited foods, were sufficient to decrease the food stealing of a girl with Prader-Willi syndrome. Warning stimuli were then used to help her discriminate between permitted and prohibited foods during sessions in which food stealing was not directly observed. This procedure resulted in decreases in food stealing from containers labeled with the warning stimuli.
Assuntos
Alimentos , Síndrome de Prader-Willi/psicologia , Roubo/prevenção & controle , Roubo/psicologia , Adolescente , Extinção Psicológica , Feminino , HumanosRESUMO
Three children with autism and mental retardation were treated for deficits in self-initiated speech. A novel treatment package employing visual cue fading was compared with a graduated time-delay procedure previously shown to be effective for increasing self-initiated language. Both treatments included training multiple self-initiated verbalizations using multiple therapists and settings. Both treatments were effective, with no differences in measures of acquisition of target phrases, maintenance of behavioral gains, acquisition with additional therapists and settings, and social validity.