Teaching Appropriate Play to Replace Stereotypy Using a Treatment Package with Students Having Autism

Authors

  • Jeremy H Greenberg The Children's Institute of Hong Kong
  • Wendy Lau The Children's Institute of Hong Kong
  • Sandy Lau The Children's Institute of Hong Kong

Keywords:

autism, conditioning reinforcers, stereotypy, painting, play

Abstract

Students with special education needs such as autism tend to have difficulty with appropriate play skills and leisure time skills.  A lack of play may lead to inappropriate behaviors such as stereotypy or passivity.  When students have a limited community of reinforcers it may be difficult for educators to find motivators that can be used to teach language, social, academics, and other skills. The present study tested a treatment package in a small group format on the on task painting behavior and stereotypy of four boys between 5 and 12 years old having autism.  Using a delayed multiple baseline across students experimental design, a functional relationship was demonstrated between an observed increase in on task painting behavior and decrease in stereotypy of all four students as a function of their participation.  Limitations of the present study were also discussed. 

Author Biography

Jeremy H Greenberg, The Children's Institute of Hong Kong

Director, Jeremy H. Greenberg, Ph.D., BCBA-D

 

Dr. Jeremy H. Greenberg has joined The ChildrenΓÇÖs Institute of Hong Kong in 2009 as Director. In his previous position, he served as Educational Coordinator at the Manhattan ChildrenΓÇÖs Center in New York where he has retained his role on the faculty advisory committee.

Throughout his work in the field, Jeremy has worked as a special educator, supervisor, administrator, and behavior analyst where he has effectively and efficiently provided special education to students having special needs, teacher training and consultation to both public and private schools in New York and New Jersey. Dr. Greenberg’s professional certifications include Board Certified Behavior Analyst, New York State Education Department Permanent Special Education, School District Administrator, and Supervisor and Administrator of Schools.  Dr. Greenberg earned three Masters’ degrees in special education and his doctorate in Special Education Applied Behavior Analysis from Teachers College Columbia University after earning a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology.

The Crisis Prevention Institute certifies Jeremy in the application of nonviolent interventions. He presents annually at the International Association for Behavior Analysis International Convention where he has been a member since 1993, and has publications in professional journals in his field.  Dr. Greenberg’s research areas of interest include verbal behavior, teacher training, cost benefit analysis, and systems management of behavior analysis applied to schools.

jgreenberg@tcihk.org

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Published

2016-09-03

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 3 (2016): The Global Context of Disability

Section

Theme Articles

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