Developmental and Physical Disabilities

Acquiring the Skill of Identifying Fractions through the Virtual-Abstract Framework Abstract Fractions are an important component of mathematics instruction, with implications for both academics and daily living. Yet, more research is needed regarding fraction instruction for students with disabilities, including those with developmental disabilities. This study investigated the effects of using the Virtual-Abstract framework to teach sixth-grade students with developmental disabilities to identify fractions. Through a multiple probe across participants design, researchers examined if a functional relation existed between students' acquisition of the mathematical behavior of identifying fractions and the Virtual-Abstract (VA) framework. For each student, the study involved three-to-five baseline sessions, six-to-nine intervention sessions, and two maintenance sessions. Two of the students also completed three abstract boost sessions and two additional maintenance sessions. Accuracy data reflected students' ability to identify fractions on five problems answered independently. A functional relation existed between students' acquisition of identifying fractions and the VA framework. Yet, two of the students failed to initially maintain their levels of accuracy. The VA framework can help students with developmental disabilities acquire mathematical behaviors, such as identifying fractions.

Snakes and Ladders: Barriers and Facilitators Experienced by Immigrant Families when Accessing an Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis Abstract There presently exists limited information or studies on means to support immigrant families as they attempt to access quality services for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). An ASD diagnosis is the gateway to support services and adapted interventions. Yet, studies show that immigrant families typically experience longer delays in obtaining a diagnosis and more challenges in gaining access to services. Twenty-four families who immigrated to Québec (Canada) participated in semi-structured interviews in which they listed the obstacles and facilitators encountered in their service trajectory to obtain a diagnosis for their child. Families' attitudes toward ASD, as a function of native culture, and their advice to other families in a similar situation are were also reported. Obstacles most often mentioned by participants were the waiting period for diagnostic services, feelings of social isolation, and a lack of professionals' knowledge about ASD. Parental advocacy, the competency and expertise of the professionals who conducted the evaluation, and parental education and awareness of ASD were the most frequently named facilitators. Finally, the most common recommendations made to other parents were to be persistent and proactive. In light of these reported experiences and perceptions, a series of clinical recommendations are provided to guide ASD evaluation practices in multicultural communities.

Preference for Food and Non-food Items of Known Reinforcing Values in People with Developmental Disabilities Abstract When presenting reinforcers to individuals with developmental disabilities, many researchers use food. However, there may be other types of reinforcers which may be equally or more effective. Although preference assessment methods have been well-researched, one area that has not yet been resolved is whether food reinforcers are always more preferred than non-food reinforcers, when both are presented in the same assessment. This study compared preference for food and non-food items with similar and dissimilar reinforcing values in three people with developmental disabilities. The study first evaluated the reinforcing value of food and non-food items in an ABAB design. Selected food and non-food items with similar and dissimilar reinforcing values were presented in a subsequent paired-stimulus preference assessment. Results showed that when food and non-food items were of approximately equal reinforcing value, or when food was more reinforcing than the non-food items, food tended to be preferred. However, when non-food items were much more reinforcing than food items, non-food items tended to be preferred.

Robotic Intervention Program for Enhancement of Social Engagement among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Abstract This study investigated the effectiveness of a robotic intervention in enhancing the social engagement of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The clinical use of social or interactive robots is promising for enhancing the social skills of children with ASD. Teaching and intervention programs using humanoid robots for children with ASD are developing rapidly. In this study, a repeated-measures design was adopted to test the treatment effectiveness of a robotic intervention program; 14 students with ASD were recruited in this study. An individual-based social skills training program using the NAO robot was administered to each participant. Video recording was performed throughout the course of training. Systematic video analysis was conducted for the pre-intervention, mid-intervention, end of intervention and maintenance phases regarding 3 variables: frequency of eye contact, duration of eye contact, and frequency of verbal initiation. One-way analysis of variance for repeated measures was employed to demonstrate that the robotic intervention program significantly enhanced the eye contact (both frequency and duration) and verbal initiation of children with ASD. The robot served as a role model and facilitating agent to enable a therapeutic transaction between the child, environment, and activities to elicit self-initiated changes in the children with ASD.

Depression and Life Satisfaction among Parents Caring for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities in South Korea Abstract Caring for an individual with developmental disabilities can be challenging and time consuming for parents. This study examined the mediating effect of depression in the relationship between caregiving-related stressors (caregiving time and behavior problems) and life satisfaction among parents caring for individuals with developmental disabilities. We performed a secondary analysis of data from the 2011 Survey on the Actual Conditions of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities, conducted by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare. Caregiving time, behavior problems, parental depression, and life satisfaction were measured. The proposed path model showed a good fit to the data: caregiving time and severity of behavior problems in individuals with developmental disabilities influenced parental life satisfaction, and these relationships were partially mediated by depression. These results could help health care providers in developing prevention and treatment programs by providing greater insight into the modifiable factors related to depression and life satisfaction among parents caring for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Social Validity of Strategies to Assist Females with ASD during Gynecological Examinations Abstract This study aimed to identify strategies that stakeholders would deem appropriate for use during a gynecological exam for a female with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who also has limited language (LL). Females with ASD are not receiving the same gynecological care as their non-ASD peers yet may have a greater need for such care due to increased health risks. Twenty-three parents and six caregivers of a female with ASD and LL, three females with ASD/Asperger's, and two nurses responded to an online survey about possible strategies to use with a female with ASD and LL during a routine gynecological exam. With the use of an embedded video to explain the strategies, participants were asked to choose those they identify as being effective for the successful completion of a gynecological exam. The use of visual supports via an electronic device or picture prompts, reinforcement of incremental steps, and non-contingent escape were identified as the top three strategies that would support a female with ASD and LL during a gynecological exam. Participants also offered anecdotal commentary about their fears and concerns related to this issue. The patient's voice in the decision-making process is crucial to the buy-in of the services offered by their providers. Once patient preference is known, it is imperative that researchers use that information. Identifying strategies with a higher rate of social validity, or acceptance of treatment prior to implementation, may assist future researchers in conducting studies on the effectiveness of those strategies.

Conceptions of Learning and Thinking Styles Among Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, and Hearing Students Abstract This study explores how students' conceptions of learning relate to their thinking styles by administering the Conceptions of Learning Inventory III and the Thinking Styles Inventory-Revised II to 350 deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH) and 463 hearing university students in mainland China. The reliabilities for the two inventories were first estimated using Cronbach's alpha coefficients. Then, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to test the validity of the COL-III. Finally, to predict thinking styles from conceptions of learning, hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted. Results showed that, among both DHH and hearing students, qualitative conceptions of learning (understanding, personal change, continuous, social competence, and duty) were significantly positively associated with a wide range of thinking styles. For DHH students, the contributions of conceptions of learning ranged from 11% to 32%, with a median of 25%. The predominant predictor was personal change. For hearing students, the contributions of conceptions of learning to thinking styles ranged from 9% to 22% (with a median of 15%), with the predominant predictor being duty. Thus, conceptions of learning significantly predicted thinking styles among both DHH and hearing students. The contributions, limitations, and implications of this research are discussed.

The Effects of Inclusive Soccer Program on Motor Performance and Sport Skill in Young Adults with and without Intellectual Disabilities Abstract This study aimed at investigating the effect of inclusive soccer program on motor performance and sport skill in young adults with and without intellectual disabilities (ID). Twelve participants with ID and twelve typical partners practiced 50-min each session, twice a week for 15-week long. All participants were encouraged to perform the practice at moderate exercise intensity. Measures of manual dexterity, mobility and soccer skills were tested pre- and post- program. This study showed participants with ID were able to perceive and report a number of exertion level in response to the intensity of exercise. In addition, participants with and without ID improved their performance in the Purdue Pegboard Test and Special Olympics Soccer Skill test. Thus, the mutual benefits in physical and motor performance were also evident in the typical partners. Our findings can encourage school and community to implement the inclusive sport programs. Lastly, the comparison groups and more measures are needed to generalize the findings to the large group.

An Exploratory Study of the Utility of the Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Abstract Parent-child interactions are critically important for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a number of the core symptoms of ASD are specifically impacted by parental behaviors and many efficacious treatment options for children with ASD rely on altering parental behaviors. Research has reported on the use and effectiveness of Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) in addressing behavioral difficulties in children with ASD. A core feature of PCIT is observations of parent-child interactions using the Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System (DPICS) for assessment, treatment planning, and outcome monitoring. As the clinical usage and evidence base for PCIT with children with ASD grows, the question of the utility of the DPICS in children with ASD remains. The current study explores the reliability, validity, and utility of the DPICS in 88 parent-child dyads of children with (n = 46) and without (n = 42) autism symptomology. Results indicate fair to strong inter-correlations for all DPICS behavioral categories but do not support convergent validity with the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory or the Parent Stress Index for dyads of a child with ASD. Significant differences were found between parents of children with ASD and those without on the DPICS. Within the context of interactions of children with ASD, inter-rater reliability was broadly obtained, although more research on the convergent validity is needed. The DPICS gathers important information to characterize parent-child interactions in dyads of children with ASD, but may not be as tied to parent report of child behaviors as in typically developing samples.

Resurgence of Challenging Behavior Following Functional Communication Training for Children with Disabilities: a Literature Review Abstract Functional communication training (FCT) is highly effective in reducing challenging behavior and increasing appropriate communication in children with developmental disabilities. However, the challenging behavior may re-occur following successful treatment with functional communication training when the functional communication response contacts extinction. Therefore, it is imperative to evaluate the variables that reduce resurgence of challenging behavior following successful treatment. For the current review, the systematic search yielded 14 articles from the current literature that evaluated resurgence following functional communication training. The effect of demand fading, the language of instruction, the presence of stimuli associated with the intervention, previous exposures to extinction, schedule of reinforcement during baseline, and reinforcing multiple mands were evaluated in the present literature review. Overall, relatively few applied studies with human participants have evaluated variables that affect resurgence. It is imperative that future research utilizes systematic manipulation to identify variables that reduce the resurgence of challenging behavior. Implications for practice and directions for future research are discussed.

Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182

6948891480

alsfakia@gmail.com