Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice

Advisor

Khrystyna Bednarchyk

Committee Member

Judith Galician

Keywords

stereotypy, response interruption, matched stimuli, autism

Abstract

This applied dissertation was designed to expand the scope of existing literature on the use of response interruption and redirection intervention with functionally matched and unmatched stimuli to reduce motor stereotypy in children with autism. While response interruption and redirection is an effective, evidence-based strategy for the reduction of vocal and motor stereotypy, it requires interruption of each instance of stereotypic behavior and implementation of an alternative behavior. This process can be laborious, implementation of which depends upon the frequency of stereotypy. To mitigate the intervention difficulties with response interruption and redirection implementation, a single-step functionally matched stimulus that is readily available in the individual repertoire could be implemented.

The researcher recruited two children with autism who engaged in hand-flapping motor stereotypy. Relying on an alternating treatment design, the researcher evaluated the effectiveness of response interruption and redirection with functionally matched and unmatched stimuli on potential reduction of motor stereotypy of participants over a series of eight 5-min intervals that accounted for baseline and two intervention phases. The function and topography of the participant’s motor stereotypy were determined using a functional behavior assessment, and the sensory modality of the stereotypy was assessed using a sensory modality assessment. The function of motor stereotypy was found to be automatic for both participants and the sensory modality of the motor stereotypy for both participants was found to be tactile and visual stimulation.

Data analysis revealed the effectiveness of response interruption and redirection intervention on the reduction of motor stereotypy for both participants. A significant reduction in motor stereotypy was witnessed with the use of response interruption and redirection with matched stimulus for one of the participants. There was no significant difference in the reduction of motor stereotypy with the use of response interruption and redirection with unmatched stimulus versus matched stimulus for another participant. The outcome of the study yielded inconclusive results as to response interruption and redirection with matched stimulus versus unmatched stimulus and warrant further research.

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