|
| PRA Poster Session 1 |
| Sunday, May 27, 2012 |
| 12:00 PM–2:00 PM |
| Exhibit Hall 4AB (Convention Center) |
|
| 1. Outcome Data on the Financial Clearance Process for a
Pediatric Feeding Disorders Day Treatment Program |
| Area: PRA; Domain: Service Delivery |
| CHRISTY WILLIAMS (University of Nebraska Medical Center, Munroe-Meye), Cathleen C. Piazza (University of Nebraska Medical Center's, Munroe-Me), Melissa K. Nieman (University of Nebraska Medical Center, Munroe-Meyer Institute) |
| Abstract: The purpose of this poster is to present data on the financial clearance process and outcomes for a pediatric feeding disorders day treatment program over a 3-year period (2009-2011). During this period, the interdisciplinary feeding team conducted a total of 93 evaluations for the purpose of triaging patients for services. Possible outcomes of the evaluation were referral: (a) to the intensive day treatment program, (b) to the weekly outpatient program, or (c) elsewhere. The evaluations resulted in 71 referrals (73% of the patients evaluated) to the day treatment program. Of the 71 children referred to the day treatment program, the clinical authorization representative attempted to preauthorize 53 children for services (i.e., 53 families elected to participate in the day treatment program). Sixty two percent (33 children) of the children were preauthorized for services on the first attempt. Twenty children were denied admission during the first attempt to preauthorize services, and 10 families elected to appeal the denial. Of these 10 appeals, 100% were overturned. The other 10 families chose not to appeal. Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance company had the highest number of preauthorizations, and United Health Care insurance company had the lowest level of preauthorizations. These data are discussed in terms of the process needed to successfully preauthorize patients for a day treatment feeding program. |
| |
|
| 2. Staff Selection, Program Adherence, and Session Engagement: A Preliminary Examination of Possible Indicators |
| Area: PRA; Domain: Service Delivery |
| KRISTEN BRAUN (Macon County Mental Health Board), Patricia S. McGuire (Macon County Mental Health Board), Debra A. Floyd (Child and Family Connections), Dennis Crowley (Macon County Mental Health Board) |
| Abstract: Difficulties recruiting, retaining, and identifying appropriate and effective therapists or paraprofessionals to provide Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services for children with Autism or other related disorders has been indicated as barriers to quality service provision (Grindle et al., 2009). To address these challenges, eight paraprofessional staff, applying to work in an "in-home" ABA program, underwent an initial, semi-structured telephone interview and completed several self-report measures: (1) a theoretical orientation preference measure, developed to identify the paraprofessional’s beliefs regarding the efficacy of behavioral interventions, as compared to other approaches; (2) the Work and Well-Being Survey (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2003), a measure of work engagement administered to gauge the predictive utility of the measure as an indicator of therapist burnout, stress, and turnover; and (3) the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS; Watson & Clark, 1994), a measure of state-trait affect administered as an indicator of therapist self-reported emotive stress. Behavioral indicators of the efficacy of the working relationships between the paraprofessional and families (e.g., verbal/written complaints, cancellations, termination) were also collected to identify the efficacy of the self-report measures in measuring the variables of interest and serving as potential staff selection and supervisory tools. Data will be presented in aggregate. |
| |
|
| 3. An Analysis of Taiwanese and American Parent-child Interaction and Its Implication for Culturally Competent Video Modeling |
| Area: PRA; Domain: Applied Research |
| HUI-TING WANG (National Taiwan Normal University) |
| Abstract: Although there has been a publication momentum on video modeling and autism, the field rarely discusses the application of video modeling on parent-child interaction from a cultural diverse aspect. The purpose of this presentation is to analyze Taiwanese and American typically developing dyads of parent-child interaction and its literature. Further, the presenter will propose implications for video modeling and autism.
Four typically developing Taiwanese children (two girls and two boys) and their parents (two mothers and two fathers) were recruited for developing future video modeling video for children with autism. Five 5-minute book reading sessions across different days were recorded and coded. Nine commonalities were found across four dyads: (1) having eye contact, (2) pointing at pictures, (3) extending children’s language, (4) prompting with word initials or past experience, (5) providing children choices, (6) giving praises, (7) continuously testing children’s labeling skills and children answered, (8) providing future reinforcers when children got distracted, and (9) requesting children to sit still or answer louder. The first 6 commonalities are consistent with Western literature and American parent-child interaction.
The presenter will conclude with her two video modeling videos for children with autism, one from the Eastern and one from the Western, on parent-child interaction. Implications will be discussed. |
| |
|
| 4. FORE! The Use of Video Modeling to Improve Your Golf Swing |
| Area: PRA; Domain: Applied Research |
| RAUL MENDOZA (Walden University) |
| Abstract: The use of video modeling has demonstrated great success when used to increase the skills of atypically developing children, but little research has been done on applying video modeling to the mainstream population. Varying video models were incorporated within five individualized training programs in efforts to optimize golf performance on the driving range and during rounds of golf, or actual game play of five participants. All participants only had previous amateur golf experience, and all had trouble with the mechanics of one or more aspects of their golf game, specifically related to procedures. As golf is a sport which essentially replicates similar behaviors over and over again, this seemed liked a perfect place to use some tools of behavior analysis to help address their problems. Baseline data was collected for each participant and after a few short sessions, data was collected again for comparison. Initial data for one participant demonstrated dramatic results, and it is postulated that comparable results will be obtained from the others. This presentation examines the efficacy and application of video modeling to the general population in effort to bring applied behavior analysis to mainstream sports. |
| |
|
| 5. The Use of a Text-to-Voice Communication Program to Enhance Parent Training for Hearing-Impaired Caregivers |
| Area: PRA; Domain: Applied Research |
| Jannette Puisseaux (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Nicole Lynn Hausman (Kennedy Krieger Institute), Ashley Stromberg (Kennedy Krieger Institute), MACKENZIE WYATT (Kennedy Krieger Institute), SungWoo Kahng (Kennedy Krieger Institute) |
| Abstract: Training caregivers to implement behavioral protocols is an important part of treatment generalization. This process can be complicated when working with caregivers who are hearing impaired, particularly when their child is hearing. In the current study, the use of an electronic text-to-voice communication program with hearing impaired parents and their hearing child with autism was evaluated. Data were collected on accuracy of parent implementation of a least-to-most prompting procedure. Training consisted of both role-play and in-vivo training sessions. Following the delivery of an academic demand in American Sign Language (ASL) during initial training, the child would imitate the sign but would not comply with the prompt. Further, caregivers would repeatedly prompt using ASL. Next, an electronic-text-to voice program was introduced, which the parents used to type in the demand. Results suggested that when the electronic device was used, the accuracy of treatment implementation increased. |
| |
|
| 6. Is the Behavioral Progress Made at JRC Generalizable? A Follow-up Study of Former JRC Students |
| Area: PRA; Domain: Service Delivery |
| NICK LOWTHER (Judge Rotenberg Educational Center), Joseph Assalone (Judge Rotenberg Educational Center), Rosemary Silva (Judge Rotenberg Educational Center) |
| Abstract: We will survey post-treatment outcomes of former students of the Judge Rotenberg Educational Center (JRC), a residential care facility that employs a highly consistent application of behavioral treatment and educational programming. All former JRC students who are reachable and willing to participate will be surveyed. We will use both a subjective General Life Adjustment rating scale (performed by guardians and/or the former students themselves) and objective counts of certain Quality of Life (QOL) Indicators. QOL/current status indicators will include need for ongoing treatment services, family/relationship status, place of residence status, educational status, employment status, and leisure pursuit information. Data will be reported in terms of descriptive statistics. |
| |
|
| 7. A Meta Analysis of Group Contingency Interventions |
| Area: PRA; Domain: Applied Research |
| STEVEN G. LITTLE (Massey University), Karen Angeleque Akin-Little (Self Employed) |
| Abstract: This poster will present preliminary data from a meta analytic study on the efficacy of the behavioural intervention of group contingencies. A systematic review was undertaken for the purposes of identifying studies which met a priori criteria (i.e., studies conducted in schools or residential settings with the child and/or adolescent population). 182 articles (1980-2010) were identified and reviewed for the following criteria: empirical; utilized with school-age children and adolescents; use of single-subject design; enough data to calculate effect size (i.e., baseline mean and standard deviation, treatment mean). Thus, 50 studies met criteria and were coded and effect size(s) calculated. Overall (N = 50): ES = 3.39; Interdependent (N = 35): ES = 2.85; Independent (N = 8): ES = 3.27; and Dependent (N = 11): ES = 3.75. From this preliminary analysis of the data, it is apparent that group contingencies are highly effective. Regardless of the type of group contingency employed, a large effect size was observed. Thus, group contingencies appear to be an effective intervention with children, particularly in the classroom, for a wide variety of academic behaviour, problem behaviour, and prosocial behaviour. Studies of this type are important for practitioners in order to use evidence-based procedures. |
| |
|
| 8. Using Discrete Trial Training to Enhance the Performance of Beginning Rock Climbers |
| Area: PRA; Domain: Applied Research |
| KEN KILLINGSWORTH (University of Nevada, Reno), William F. Potter (California State University, Stanislaus) |
| Abstract: A behavioral training package was used within a multiple baseline across matched participants design to enhance the performance of beginning rock climbers. Errorless learning techniques were implemented in a discrete-trial training format to train attending to the feet while climbing, and to facilitate the effective use of weight distribution. The primary dependent variables measured across experimental phases were attending to the feet while climbing, pressure exerted by the hands to climbing holds, post climb grip strength, elapsed time from beginning to completion of each climb, and subjective experience survey items. All participants showed increased attending to the feet, while 3 of the 7 participants showed decreases in the amount of pressure applied to the hand holds. Post climb grip strength measures remained relatively stable for most participants, while increases in time were observed for all participants in the sessions immediately following the termination of the training condition. In a comparison of baseline and post training conditions, climb enjoyment decreased for 6 of the 7 participants after training was delivered. Issues relevant to the present study and future behavioral climbing research are discussed. |
| |
| |