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Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders pp 1–12Cite as

Environmental Engineering/Modifications

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Definition

Environmental engineering/modification strategies, also known as antecedent interventions, are defined as changes to the immediate environment that allow the individual with ASD to process stimuli, predict future events, and respond appropriately. The purpose of environmental engineering strategies is to provide additional information about the appropriate and expected response in any given situation (Neitzel 2009; Quill 1995). They are considered proactive strategies to prevent problem behavior and increase appropriate behavior before correcting strategies are needed (Bregman et al. 2005). Since they are preventative in nature, antecedent interventions are often considered very socially acceptable interventions (Radley and Dart 2016).

There are a myriad of interventions that fall under the heading of environmental engineering. Such interventions include, but are not limited to, social stories and video modeling, functional communication training, consistent scheduling,...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Disabilities Studies, University of Delaware, 461 Wyoming Road, 19702, Newark, DE, USA

    Christine Barthold

  2. Division of Special Education and disability Research, 4400 University Dr. MS 1F2, 22030, Fairfax, VA, USA

    Jodi M. Duke

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  1. Christine Barthold
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  2. Jodi M. Duke
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Correspondence to Christine Barthold .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

    Fred R. Volkmar

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Barthold, C., Duke, J.M. (2017). Environmental Engineering/Modifications. In: Volkmar, F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_153-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_153-3

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