“The primary goal of this intervention (sometimes referred to as floor time) is to enable children to form a sense of themselves as intentional, interactive individuals, to develop cognitive language and social capacities from this basic sense of intentionality, and to progress through the six functional emotional developmental capacities.” (Greenspan and Wieder, 1999)

“Social narratives are short stories designed to walk a child through a potential situation that they will encounter that they may not be familiar with, or that they are not currently handling properly.” (Spindel, Margaret, 2017)

According to Buron and Myles (2014), “Typically they (a) are written in the first person; (b) provide for flexibility and the possibility of change using words such as may, probably, usually, will try to, and might; and (c) are developed and presented in a manner appropriate to the learner, whether through the use of words only, pictures only, or a combination of the two” (p.251).

1) Plan for Comprehension
2) Plan Story Support
3) Plan Story Review
4) Plan a Positive Introduction
5) Monitor
6) Organize the Stories
7) Mix & Match to Build Concepts
8) Story Re-runs and Sequels to Tie Past, Present, and Future
9) Recycle Instruction into Applause
10) Stay Current on Social Story Research and Updates

6 stages :
1) Self-Regulation & Shared Attention
2) Engagement & Relating
3) Two-way Intentional Communication
4) Purposeful and Complex Problem Solving & Communication
5) Creating & Elaborating Symbols
6) Building bridges between symbols
(Wieder, Greenspan 2003)

(Wolfberg, Balasubramanian, & Brown (2017) SCERTS (Prizant, Wetherby, Rubin & Laurent, 2007)is an innovative educational model for working with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. It provides specific guidelines for helping a child become a competent and confident social communicator, while preventing problem behaviors that interfere with learning and the development of relationships. It also is designed to help families, educators and therapists work cooperatively as a team, in a carefully coordinated manner, to maximize progress in supporting a child. The acronym “SCERTS” refers to the focus on:

“ER” - Emotional Regulation - the development of the ability to maintain a well-regulated emotional state to cope with everyday stress, and to be most available for learning and interacting;

(Wolfberg, Balasubramanian, & Brown (2017) IPG model (originated by Pamela Wolfberg, PhD) is an evidence-based practice designed to guide children on the autism spectrum and neurotypical peers/siblings to engage in mutually enjoyed experiences that foster socialization, play and imagination, and inclusion in peer culture. Extensions of the IPG model incorporate various forms of creative expression Grounded in Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, the IPG model intervention involves guided participation whereby children’s learning and development are mediated through active engagement in culturally relevant activity (namely play) with the assistance and challenge of responsive social partners (adults and peers) who vary in skill and status. Guided participation practices include: nurturing play initiations, scaffolding play, guiding social communication, guiding play within the zone of proximal development (ZPD).

Discrete trial training (DTT) is a one-to-one instructional approach used to teach skills in a planned, controlled, and systematic manner. DTT is used when a learner needs to learn a skill best taught in small repeated steps. Each trial or teaching opportunity has a definite beginning and end, thus the descriptor discrete trial. Within DTT, the use of antecedents and consequences is carefully planned and implemented. Positive praise and/or tangible rewards are used to reinforce desired skills or behaviors. Data collection is an important part of DTT and supports decision making by providing teachers/practitioners with information about beginning skill level, progress and challenges, skill acquisition and maintenance, and generalization of learned skills or behaviors. (Wolfberg, Balasubramanian, & Brown (2017)

5 Pivotal Areas
-motivation
-responsivity to multiple cues
-Self- Management
-Self-initiations
-Empathy
(Balasubramian, Blum)

The definition of social thinking is that a person considers the situation and what he knows about his own and others’ thoughts, emotions, beliefs, desires, motives, prior knowledge, and experiences in that situation in order to help interpret and possibly respond to others. We use social thinking even when we are not intending to interact with another person. For example, every time you pick up a novel you are attempting to understand characters in context by figuring out what you know about them as their character evolves across the book. You also use social thinking when thinking about another person even if you are not physically sharing space with her. An example of this might be interpreting the intentions or meaning of characters playing a role on a sitcom or analyzing why anyone would participate on certain reality TV shows. (Buron & Wolfberg, 2014 P.211)

The Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) is a parent coaching intervention wherein the caregivers are taught ESDM techniques that are an amalgam of two approaches, namely (1) the Denver Model and (2) Pivotal Response Training. The Denver model aims to promote growth in areas associated to autism while following developmental sequences relevant to those without similar delays.

Based on B.F Skinner psychological theory of people’s behavior based on their environment (Behaviorist)
ABA is performance lead/based by the client and is a systemic behavioral modification on application

(Maag, J.W. (2017). Behavior management: From theoretical implications to practical applications 3rd Ed. Cengage Learning.) Ch. 1

"This framework helps clinicians, families and other professionals develop a comprehensive multi-disciplinary plan that addresses the individual needs of a child with autism while considering his developmental and functional profile." Wolfberg, Balasubramanian, & Brown (2017)

The overall goal of PMI is to increase the frequency with which social initiations, responses and
reciprocal exchanges occur, as well as the duration of the social exchanges.

Behavioral and Social learning Theories

Biophysical Theory, Sigmund Freud

• neruo, bio, physical defects or malfunctions
• Inherent to the central nervous system
• Biophysical factors have relevance only when examining their interaction with the environment
• Genetic factors have been suggested as the cause for many types of emotional and behavioral disorders, although scientists long ago established that they are insufficient to explain all variation in human behavior
  
  

Psychodynamic Theory, Sigmund Freud

• deviant behaviors result change progressively with developmental stages
  
  

Psychoanalytic Theory, Sigmund Freud

• ID: present at birth, energy at birth, avoid pain & achieve pleasure
• EGO: mediates between EGO and social constraints of the 3D world
  -SUPER-EGO: norms & values of society by emotions of joy or guilt (punishment or reward)
  
  

Psychosexual stages of development, Sigmund Freud
-Oral (0-2 yrs)
-Anal (2 yrs- potty training)
-Phallic (super-ego)
-Latency
-Genital (puberty)

Classical Conditioning, Ivan Povlov
-Systemic Desensitization- treating phobias based on belief that a response is not directly linked to fear (i.e., relaxation)

• Relaxation can be made to occur with a stimulus that usually produces fear then the incompatible response will subsequently inhibit the occurrence of fear
• Reasonable treatment fir phobias = identification of opposite of fear and teach the individual to engage in those responses in situations that normally produce fear
• Aversion therapy- designed to counteract the power of undesirable reinforcers (i.e., addictions/cause harm) through repeated trials with an abrasive even such as an electric shock
• The rationale is that the undesirable reinforcer will then become less reinforcing because it will come to elicit response similar to that of the aversive stimulus
• Covert sensitization- the individual imagine both the undesirable reinforcer and the aversive stimulus; the pairing of the stimuli occurs only in the individuals imagination hence the “covert” title, this procedure makes them sensitized to it
  
  

Social learning theory, Bandura
-social behaviors are learned by observation and storing responses in memory in form of visuals (observational learning/acquisition)
-Mechanisms: observational learning occurred covertly through the use of cognitive processes aka “no trial learning”

(Maag, J.W. (2017). Behavior management: From theoretical implications to practical applications 3rd Ed. Cengage Learning.)
Ch. 3

“TS” – Transactional Support – the development and implementation of supports to help partners respond to the child’s needs and interests, modify and adapt the environment, and provide tools to enhance learning (e.g., picture communication, written schedules, and sensory supports). Specific plans are also developed to provide educational and emotional support to families, and to foster teamwork among professionals.

Peer Social Networks (PSN). With strong parallels to PMI, and as an outgrowth of Haring and Breen’s (1992) seminal work, PSN is being applied in elementary school settings to promote the peer socialization of children with autism using play as a medium.

Sensory processing is a person’s way of noticing and responding to sensory events that occur during everyday life. We know from research that there are particular patterns (Dunn, 1997a) of sensory processing (as introduced in Bradley’s story), and that these patterns affect how people respond in situations. We also know that people who have autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have more intense reactions than their peers, which may be one of the contributing factors to their differences in responding in particular situations. When professionals and families understand the relationship between a student’s sensory processing patterns and the behaviors he exhibits (Dunn, 1997a), we can adjust activities, directions, expectations, and other aspects of the school day to support the student’s participation. (Buron & Wolfberg, 2014 P.134)

Buron and Curtis (2003, 2012) created the Incredible 5-Point Scale to help individuals with ASD understand social and emotional concepts as well as to enhance their self-understanding. The 1-5 scale system is applicable for a variety of social and self-regulation behaviors and responses to those behaviors, including feelings of anxiety, concepts of personal space, and feelings of anger. The scale is unique in that it can be used for a variety of purposes, including an obsessional index, a stress scale, and a meltdown monitor, etc. Children and youth with ASD are taught to recognize the stages of their emotions or social challenges and methods to self-calm or “rethink” at each level. (Buron & Wolfberg, 2014 p.246)

The psychological term theory of mind refers to the ability to recognize and understand the thoughts, beliefs, desires, and intentions of other people in order to make sense of their behavior and predict what they are going to do next. It has also been described as “mind reading” (see Chapter 13). Impaired theory of mind is often referred to as “mind blindness” (Baron-Cohen, 1995) or, colloquially, difficulty in “putting oneself in another person’s shoes.” The child with an ASD typically does not recognize or understand the cues that indicate the thoughts or feelings of another person at a level expected for someone of his age. However, we are developing strategies to teach theory of mind abilities (Attwood, 2006; Kerr & Drukin, 2004). (p.47)

Children with autism can be remarkably good at attending to detail but appear to have considerable difficulty perceiving and understanding the overall picture or gist of something (Frith & Happé, 1994). A useful metaphor is to imagine rolling a piece of paper into a tube, closing one eye and placing the tube against the open eye like a telescope and looking at the world through the tube; details are visible, but the context is not perceived. Typical children have a broader cognitive perspective than the child with autism. When learning in the classroom, the problem may not be attention, but focus. Some activities are difficult to complete on time because the child with autism has become preoccupied with the detail, focusing on parts rather than wholes (Schlooz et al., 2006). A teacher or parent sometimes needs to explain to the child where to look and what is relevant in the situation. (P.47)

Children with ASD have been recognized as having problems with executive function (Russell, 1997; Yerys, Hepburn, & Pennington, 2007). The teacher of a child with autism will soon become familiar with these characteristics and have to make adjustments to the school curriculum. In the early school years, the main signs of impaired executive function include difficulties with inhibiting a response (i.e., being impulsive), working memory, and using new strategies. Many children with autism are notorious for being impulsive in schoolwork and in social situations, appearing to respond without thinking of the context, consequences, and previous experience (Bower & Parsons, 2003; Happé, Booth, Charlton, & Hughes, 2006; Raymaekers, van der Meere, & Roeyers, 2006). By the age of 8, a typical child is able to “switch on” and use his or her frontal lobe to inhibit a response and think before deciding what to do or say (Diamond, Kirkham, & Amso, 2002). The child with ASD may be capable of thoughtful deliberation before responding, but under conditions of stress, or if feeling overwhelmed or confused, is often impulsive. It is important to encourage the child to relax and consider other options before responding and to recognize that being impulsive can be a sign of confusion and stress. (P.48)

Children with ASD have been recognized as having problems with executive function (Russell, 1997; Yerys, Hepburn, & Pennington, 2007). The teacher of a child with autism will soon become familiar with these characteristics and have to make adjustments to the school curriculum. In the early school years, the main signs of impaired executive function include difficulties with inhibiting a response (i.e., being impulsive), working memory, and using new strategies. Many children with autism are notorious for being impulsive in schoolwork and in social situations, appearing to respond without thinking of the context, consequences, and previous experience (Bower & Parsons, 2003; Happé, Booth, Charlton, & Hughes, 2006; Raymaekers, van der Meere, & Roeyers, 2006). By the age of 8, a typical child is able to “switch on” and use his or her frontal lobe to inhibit a response and think before deciding what to do or say (Diamond, Kirkham, & Amso, 2002). The child with ASD may be capable of thoughtful deliberation before responding, but under conditions of stress, or if feeling overwhelmed or confused, is often impulsive. It is important to encourage the child to relax and consider other options before responding and to recognize that being impulsive can be a sign of confusion and stress.

Language Abilities The severest expression of impaired communication or language abilities for children who have an ASD is the silent child who has a vocabulary of sounds, but not of words. This child may have a greater comprehension of language than expression but does not easily replace a lack of speech with the development of a natural spontaneous gestural language. Parents may notice that the child tries to speak but appears unable to connect thought to the oral-motor abilities required to do so. This is a description of the classic silent and aloof child first described by Leo Kanner in 1943.

Children with ASD are known for having a wide range of intense or special interests that can change in focus and complexity over the years (see Chapter 12). The spectrum of interests may include those enjoyed by typical children, although often at a younger age, as well as some that are quite eccentric.

When the sensory sensitivity is a dominant characteristic of ASD, the child may develop maladaptive strategies to control her environment in order to avoid specific sensory experiences, such as running from a supermarket because of the noise of the refrigeration units or refusing to use the bathroom at school due to the automatic f lushers and aroma. Sensory sensitivity can also lead to increased anxiety, as the child can never be sure when a potentially terrifying sensory experience will occur (Bellini, 2006; Goldsmith, Van Hulle, Arneson, Schreiber, & Gernsbacher, 2006). We use the term sensory meltdown when sensory experiences have been overwhelming and unavoidable (Lipsky, 2011)

The DSM-5 diagnostic criteria refer to a deficit in social-emotional reciprocity. As a result, a thorough assessment of a child with an ASD should include an evaluation of the child’s ability to express reciprocal emotions as well as to label and describe emotions in others and himself and to express and manage intense emotions, especially anxiety, despair, and anger. Some individuals with ASD have difficulty expressing and enjoying affection (Attwood & Garnett, 2013).

The DSM-5 diagnostic criteria refer to a deficit in social-emotional reciprocity. As a result, a thorough assessment of a child with an ASD should include an evaluation of the child’s ability to express reciprocal emotions as well as to label and describe emotions in others and himself and to express and manage intense emotions, especially anxiety, despair, and anger. Some individuals with ASD have difficulty expressing and enjoying affection (Attwood & Garnett, 2013).