Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities - Division on ...

<strong>Education</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Developmental</strong> <strong>Disabilities</strong>, 2005, 40(1), 24–33
© <strong>Division</strong> on <strong>Developmental</strong> <strong>Disabilities</strong>
Self-monitor<strong>in</strong>g: Are Young Adults with MR <strong>and</strong> Autism able
to Utilize Cognitive Strategies Independently?
Jennifer B. Ganz
University of Texas at San Antonio
Jeff Sigafoos
University of Texas at Aust<strong>in</strong>
Abstract: Effectiveness of a self-monitor<strong>in</strong>g procedure was evaluated for <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g work task completion <strong>and</strong>
verbal request<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> two young adult men with autism <strong>and</strong> severe mental retardation. The study was conducted
<strong>in</strong> a vocational tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g program at times when the men were expected to complete vocational tasks <strong>in</strong>dependently.
A chang<strong>in</strong>g criterion design was used to evaluate the procedure on number of required tasks completed
<strong>and</strong> number of verbal requests. When the self-monitor<strong>in</strong>g procedure was applied to task completion <strong>and</strong> verbal
requests for help, performance <strong>in</strong>creased systematically <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> l<strong>in</strong>e with the chang<strong>in</strong>g criteria design for each
participant. Results suggest that <strong>in</strong>dividuals with autism <strong>and</strong> severe mental retardation can be taught to use
a self-monitor<strong>in</strong>g procedure to <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong>dependent task completion <strong>and</strong> verbal request<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a vocational
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g program.
Self-management, or management of one’s
own behavior, is considered to be a “pivotal
behavior,” a technique that potentially will
have a widespread impact on areas of <strong>in</strong>tervention
for <strong>in</strong>dividuals with autism spectrum
disorders (ASD) (Koegel, Koegel, & McNerney,
2001). Koegel, Koegel, <strong>and</strong> Carter (1999)
suggest that when <strong>in</strong>dividuals with autism are
taught to self-manage, they may generalize
that skill to a variety of sett<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>and</strong> behaviors,
requir<strong>in</strong>g fewer resources, such as educational
practitioners, to monitor them. In addition,
self-monitor<strong>in</strong>g is a positive <strong>in</strong>tervention that
is “teacher-friendly.” That is, the process of
teach<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dividuals to self-monitor is reward<strong>in</strong>g
to those <strong>in</strong>dividuals, requires little tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g
for practitioners, requires few materials that
are not already available <strong>in</strong> the classroom, <strong>and</strong>
dem<strong>and</strong>s only a small amount of the teacher’s
time once the student ga<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong>dependence.
Thus, self-monitor<strong>in</strong>g may be useful for promot<strong>in</strong>g
greater <strong>in</strong>dependence among <strong>in</strong>dividuals
with ASD.
Self-monitor<strong>in</strong>g is a cognitive-behavioral
strategy that falls under the umbrella of selfmanagement.
It is a method of chang<strong>in</strong>g
Correspondence concern<strong>in</strong>g this article should
be addressed to Jennifer Ganz, DISCI, COEHD,
University of Texas at San Antonio, 6900 N Loop
1604 W, San Antonio, TX 78249.
24 / <strong>Education</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Developmental</strong> <strong>Disabilities</strong>-March 2005
someone’s th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g or private verbal behavior
to impact his or her overt behavior (Rank<strong>in</strong> &
Reid, 1995). This strategy is designed to <strong>in</strong>crease
or decrease an <strong>in</strong>dividual’s behavior by
hav<strong>in</strong>g that person become cognizant of his or
her own behavior, then observe <strong>and</strong> record
that behavior (Maag, 2004). Students who selfmonitor
may then learn to assess <strong>and</strong> change
their performances <strong>and</strong> reward themselves
when they meet preset criteria. Rank<strong>in</strong> <strong>and</strong>
Reid del<strong>in</strong>eated the follow<strong>in</strong>g steps for implement<strong>in</strong>g
self monitor<strong>in</strong>g procedures <strong>in</strong> school
sett<strong>in</strong>gs.
First, choose the behavior you wish to impact.
This must be a specific <strong>and</strong> measurable
behavior (e.g., ask<strong>in</strong>g for a food item at lunch
by first say<strong>in</strong>g, “please”). Second, basel<strong>in</strong>e data
must be collected to determ<strong>in</strong>e that <strong>in</strong>dividual’s
current rate of performance. Third, motivate
<strong>and</strong> teach the student to use the selfmonitor<strong>in</strong>g
system. This <strong>in</strong>volves expla<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g to
the student the value of us<strong>in</strong>g the system (e.g.,
gett<strong>in</strong>g to class on time leads to more free
time at the end of class). Fourth, teach the
student to use the system (e.g., mak<strong>in</strong>g tally
marks, receiv<strong>in</strong>g tokens) <strong>and</strong> provide model<strong>in</strong>g
<strong>and</strong> practice. If the system is effective, the
f<strong>in</strong>al step is to fade teacher monitor<strong>in</strong>g. Initially,
the student <strong>and</strong> teacher will take data at
the same time, then compare <strong>and</strong> reflect on
each session’s data. The teacher will then fade