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Improving Compliance in Primary School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Abstract

Complying with common instructions is considered an important skill, critical to school success; however, students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit low levels of compliance creating barriers to their inclusion in regular general education school settings. While self-management interventions have the potential to address compliance issues, there has been little research investigating their effectiveness in regular education school settings that include young children with ASD. Accordingly, the present study examined the effects of a self-management intervention for two 8-year-old boys with ASD and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. A multiple-baseline across settings design was used. Results indicated that the intervention was associated with increased rates of compliance and concomitant increases in on-task behavior for both participants within their respective classroom. Effects were maintained at follow-up, and social validity ratings suggested that the intervention was highly acceptable for both the students and their teachers. This study contributes to the knowledge base on effective and feasible interventions to support the inclusion of children with ASD in general education settings.

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Correspondence to Angelika Anderson.

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Imasaka, T., Lee, P.L., Anderson, A. et al. Improving Compliance in Primary School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Behav Educ 29, 763–786 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10864-019-09346-5

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