Combining Readers Theater, Story Mapping and Video Self-Modeling Interventions to Improve Narrative Reading Comprehension in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) demonstrate atypical development, resulting in significant deficits in perspective-taking and observational learning. Children with ASD tend to have challenges in social interactions and academic performance, such as comprehending narrative texts, which heavily rely on accurate understanding of the thoughts and feelings of others. However, the current literature provides limited information on effective interventions to address these areas. The present study expands the existing research base by combining Readers Theater, story mapping, and video self-modeling, three separate research-based interventions, into an intervention package for children with ASD. A multiple-baseline across participants design was utilized. Overall, the results indicate that the intervention package successfully improved reading comprehension. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

PuzzleWalk: A theory-driven iterative design inquiry of a mobile game for promoting physical activity in adults with autism spectrum disorder.

Primary symptoms of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), such as pervasive social deficits in social interaction and communication, cause adults with ASD to adopt a sedentary lifestyle. Meanwhile, gamified and behavioral theory-based interventions have been shown to improve physical activity in a fun and unobtrusive way. In this paper, we describe the iterative design inquiry process of PuzzleWalk, a gamified, physical activity-promoting mobile app designed for adults with ASD. We report the design rationales and lessons learned across four user-centered design phases with ASD experts and adults with ASD, including user requirement gathering, iterative participatory design, usability evaluation, and field deployment. The design insights generated from this work could inform future research focusing on designing sociotechnical systems, games, and interventions for people with ASD.

Usability inquiry of a gamified behavior change app for increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder.

The purpose of this study was to conduct the first usability inquiry of a gamified, behavior change theory-guided mobile app PuzzleWalk for increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Eighteen adults with and without ASD participated in a mixed-methods study that consisted of cognitive walkthrough, system usability assessment, and qualitative interviews. The results of the system usability testing indicated satisfactory quality of the PuzzleWalk system that can be readily applicable to both adults with and without ASD. Several notable issues were identified from the qualitative interviews that address critical insights into unique health and social needs in adults with ASD. Future work is warranted to examine the long-term effects of the PuzzleWalk system on increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior in adults with and without ASD in real-world settings.

Utilizing Video-Based Trainings to Improve Decision Making in High School Quarterbacks.

Despite the role of working memory capacity (WMC) in decision making, there is a dearth of empirical literature concerned with working memory and how it relates to tactical decision making in sport. The temporal occlusion paradigm has often been used by sport researchers to improve tactical decision making and, thus, provides a well-established foundation for creating decision-making trainings. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to explore the implementation of computer-based learning modules to improve the tactical decision making of four high school quarterbacks with varying levels of WMC, utilizing a single-subject, multiple baseline design. The learning modules utilized a temporal occlusion paradigm and present a novel intervention aimed at improving decision making in quarterbacks. Data were analyzed using visual analysis and improvement rate difference (IRD). Overall, results did not demonstrate a causal relationship between changes in accuracy of decision making after implementation of the learning modules but did provide moderate evidence for improvement in reaction time for decision making due to the learning modules. The learning modules were met with positive perceptions from the four participants, and the participant with the lowest WMC showed evidence of improvement in both accuracy and speed of decision making. Limitations as well as implications will be discussed.

Social skills training for youth with autism spectrum disorders.

Social skill deficits are a pervasive and enduring feature of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). As such, social skills training (SST) should be a critical component of programming for youth with ASD. A number of SST strategies exist, including those employing social stories, video modeling interventions, social problem solving, pivotal response training, scripting procedures, computer-based interventions, priming procedures, prompting procedures, and self-monitoring. This article summarizes each intervention strategy and provides results from several research studies. Social skills assessment is a crucial first step to SST, and a number of assessment measures are described. Meta-analytic reviews of the research provide further recommendations for successful SST programs.

Social skills training for youth with autism spectrum disorders: a follow-up.

In 2008, Bellini and Peters conducted a review of empirically based social skills training procedures for youth with autism spectrum disorders. The results of this review suggested that targeted intervention using social skills training programs that were intensive and implemented in a child's natural setting were best suited to meet the needs of children with autism spectrum disorders. In the current article, a review of the most recent meta-analyses is included. Detailed investigation regarding the effectiveness of 8 social skills training procedures is updated and reviewed. Finally, a discussion of assessment strategies is included.

Video Self-Modeling: A Promising Strategy for Noncompliant Children.

The current study investigated the effects of a Video Self-Modeling (VSM) intervention on the compliance and aggressive behavior of three children placed in a psychiatric hospital. Each participant viewed brief video clips of himself following simple adult instructions just prior to the school's morning session and the unit's afternoon free period. A multiple baseline design across settings was used to evaluate the effects of the VSM intervention on compliance with staff instructions and aggressive behavior on the hospital unit and in the hospital-based classroom. All three participants exhibited higher levels of compliance and fewer aggressive episodes during the intervention condition, and the effects were generally maintained when the intervention was withdrawn. Hospital staff reported at the conclusion of the study that the VSM intervention was easy to implement and beneficial for all participants. Taken altogether, the results suggest VSM is a promising, socially acceptable, and proactive intervention approach for improving the behavior of noncompliant children.