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Educati<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> Training in Developmental Disabilities, 2008, 43(3), 324–333<br />
© <str<strong>on</strong>g>Divisi<strong>on</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> Developmental Disabilities<br />
Enhancing Social <strong>and</strong> Transiti<strong>on</strong> Behaviors of Pers<strong>on</strong>s with<br />
<strong>Autism</strong> through Activity Schedules: A Review<br />
Devender R. B<strong>and</strong>a <strong>and</strong> Eric Grimmett<br />
Texas Tech University<br />
Abstract: Thirteen studies were reviewed that were c<strong>on</strong>ducted using activity schedules with pers<strong>on</strong>s with autism<br />
to improve social interacti<strong>on</strong> skills <strong>and</strong> decrease problem behaviors. Results across studies indicate that activity<br />
schedules enhanced social interacti<strong>on</strong>s <strong>and</strong> <strong>on</strong>-task <strong>and</strong> transiti<strong>on</strong> behaviors. Also, investigators in some studies<br />
used activity schedules to decrease students’ tantrums <strong>and</strong> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r problem behaviors during transiti<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
Fur<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rmore, researchers in several studies that reported generalizati<strong>on</strong> indicated that behaviors learned through<br />
activity schedules generalized across settings <strong>and</strong> pers<strong>on</strong>s. Implicati<strong>on</strong>s for practiti<strong>on</strong>ers <strong>and</strong> for future<br />
researchers are discussed.<br />
Individuals with autism often have difficulty<br />
with social interacti<strong>on</strong>s <strong>and</strong> communicati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
In additi<strong>on</strong>, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se pers<strong>on</strong>s may display deficits<br />
in life skills <strong>and</strong>/or exhibit problem behaviors<br />
including stereotypic behaviors, self-injurious<br />
behaviors, hyper- or hyposensitivity to sound,<br />
taste, smell, etc. (Scheuermann & Webber,<br />
2002; Scott, Clark, & Brady, 2000). A majority<br />
of pers<strong>on</strong>s with autism have difficulties with<br />
social skills, particularly making eye c<strong>on</strong>tact,<br />
recognizing social cues, <strong>and</strong> participating in<br />
turn taking activities (Jamies<strong>on</strong>, 2004). Fur<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rmore,<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y may display unusual characteristics<br />
such as resistance to change, ei<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r<br />
within <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir envir<strong>on</strong>ment or within <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir daily<br />
activities (e.g., American Psychiatric Associati<strong>on</strong>,<br />
2000; Schreibman, Whalen, & Stahmer,<br />
2000). Issues with routine changes <strong>and</strong> transiti<strong>on</strong>s<br />
can particularly be problematic resulting<br />
in atypical behaviors such as heightened verbal<br />
<strong>and</strong> physical aggressi<strong>on</strong>, tantrums, n<strong>on</strong>compliance,<br />
self-injury, etc. (Schreibman et<br />
al.). Difficulty with transiti<strong>on</strong>s between <strong>and</strong><br />
within activities can limit <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> pers<strong>on</strong>’s ability<br />
to navigate different envir<strong>on</strong>ments without<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> adult supervisi<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> guidance (e.g., For-<br />
Corresp<strong>on</strong>dence c<strong>on</strong>cerning this article should<br />
be addressed to Devender B<strong>and</strong>a, Department of<br />
Educati<strong>on</strong>al Psychology <strong>and</strong> Leadership, College of<br />
Educati<strong>on</strong>, PO Box 41701, Texas Tech University,<br />
Lubbock, TX 79416. Email: devender.b<strong>and</strong>a@<br />
ttu.edu<br />
324 / Educati<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> Training in Developmental Disabilities-September 2008<br />
est, Horner, Lewis-Palmer, & Todd, 2004;<br />
Scheuermann & Webber; Schreibman et al.).<br />
Because of this, individuals with autism often<br />
develop dependence <strong>on</strong> adult caregivers to<br />
provide support to learn new skills, <strong>and</strong> to stay<br />
<strong>on</strong>-task <strong>and</strong> <strong>on</strong>-schedule throughout <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> activities<br />
at school, home, <strong>and</strong> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r community<br />
settings (Heflin & Alaimo, 2007; Scheuermann<br />
& Webber). Thus, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> challenge for<br />
parents <strong>and</strong> teachers is to decrease <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> dependence<br />
<strong>on</strong> adults <strong>and</strong> to increase <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> pers<strong>on</strong>’s<br />
independence in daily living, communicati<strong>on</strong>,<br />
socializati<strong>on</strong>, <strong>and</strong> vocati<strong>on</strong>al skills.<br />
Researchers have used visual supports (e.g.,<br />
pictures, videos, activity schedules) to improve<br />
various behaviors of pers<strong>on</strong>s with mental retardati<strong>on</strong><br />
including transiti<strong>on</strong>s during vocati<strong>on</strong>al<br />
activities <strong>and</strong> teaching daily living skills<br />
(e.g., Anders<strong>on</strong>, Sherman, Sheld<strong>on</strong>, & Mc-<br />
Adam, 1997; Morgan & Salzberg, 1992;<br />
Wacker, Berg, Berrie, & Swatta, 1985). Investigators<br />
in recent years have also identified<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se visual supports, particularly <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> activity<br />
schedules as a promising educati<strong>on</strong>al strategy<br />
for pers<strong>on</strong>s with autism (e.g., Scheuermann &<br />
Webber, 2002; We<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rby & Prizant, 2000). In<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> early nineties, investigators in three studies<br />
(Krantz & McClannahan, 1993; Krantz,<br />
MacDuff, & McClannahan 1993; <strong>and</strong> Mac-<br />
Duff, Krantz, & McClannahan, 1993) c<strong>on</strong>ducted<br />
initial investigati<strong>on</strong>s using activity<br />
schedules <strong>and</strong> found that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se strategies have<br />
increased social initiati<strong>on</strong>s, increased <strong>on</strong>-task