The Use of Video Priming to Reduce Disruptive Transition Behavior in Children with Autism

Abstract

This study investigated the use of video priming, or exposure, as a means for reducing or eliminating the disruptive behavior of children with autism in transition situations. Specifically, it was hypothesized that such disruptive behavior would be reduced if the children received prior priming to upcoming transitions. Three children with autism who demonstrated severely disruptive behavior during transitions viewed short videos of specific transition situations in which parents reported behavioral difficulties. A multiple-baseline design across participants showed that the implementation of the video priming procedure led to a reduction or elimination of the disruptive behavior. Further, behavior reductions generalized to new transition situations. The results are discussed in terms of the possible mechanisms responsible for treatment effects and the potential advantages of using video interventions with this population.

Literature Review of Interventions for Between-Task Transitioning for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Including Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…Second, students may lack the skills to transition independently from activity to activity or their transition behavior may be dependent on teacher or caregiver prompts (MacDuff et al 1993). These challenges with transitions may limit a student's access to community activities and social interaction and could result in a more restrictive educational or vocational placement (Newman et al 1995;Schreibman et al 2000). Additionally, transitionrelated challenging behavior may disrupt classroom routines because the teacher's attention may be shifted from the whole class to one student or group of students (Sterling-Turner and Jordan 2007).…”

Use of video modeling to increase generalization of social play by children with autism.

“…This is important since it is common for children with autism to become prompt dependent, especially when intervention procedures are based on continuous prompting techniques (Lasater & Brady, 1995;Odom, Chandler, Ostrosky, McConnell, & Reaney, 1992;Stahmer & Schreibman, 1992). Moreover, it is a treatment technique that does not require extensive training prior to implementation (e.g., Corbett, 2003;Schreibman, Whalen, & Stahmer, 2000;Nikopoulos & Keenan, 2006).…”

“…Schreibman et al (2000) refer to these difficulties as disruptive transition behavior. In addition, Ferrara and Hill (1980) stated that children with autism could become seriously disorganized when they are not able to predict the sequence of events.…”

Tablet-Based Cognitive Exercises as an Early Parent-Administered Intervention Tool for Toddlers with Autism - Evidence from a Field Study

“…The use of technology in the delivery of much needed therapy promises to be effective for shrinking the gap between the therapy that is recommended for children with ASD and the amount they receive. Recently, there has been a trend towards computer-based interventions which capitalize on the often-observed preference that children with ASD show for flat screen information [13][14][15] as well as evidence suggesting that tablets specifically have been a great learning tool for children on the spectrum [16,17]. However, since there is scant research on computer-based interventions for children with ASD, many questions remain to be answered: At what age are children diagnosed with ASD capable of being fully engaged with computer-based interventions?…”