TEACHING PRESCHOOLERS WITH AUTISM TO SELF-MONITOR THEIR SOCIAL INTERACTIONS - AN ANALYSIS OF RESULTS IN-HOME AND SCHOOL SETTINGS

This study examined the effects of a self-monitoring intervention on t he social interactions of 3 preschool boys with autism. A multiple bas eline across both school and home settings was used to examine several experimental conditions. First, each child with autism participated i n daily 5-minute play activities with one nondisabled peer or sibling during an initial baseline period. Following their conduct of social s kills training, teachers and parents implemented an intervention that encompassed adult prompting, edible reinforcement contingent on childr en's positive exchanges, and target children's self-monitoring of thei r own social behaviors. Three primary results were obtained. First, th e self-monitoring package increased each target child's interactions w ith his peers and/or siblings. Second, the school and home procedures produced comparable impacts on some dimensions of children's social be haviors, but other outcomes were affected differentially. Finally, bot h adult prompts and reinforcement were successfully reduced or faded w ithin the school and home intervention settings.