Peer-Mediated Intervention for Elementary School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Considering Both the Role of Attributions and Behavior

Background:

Social deficits have been described as the most defining feature of autism (Kanner, 1943) and are noted to cause difficulties across the life span (Seltzer et al., 2003). The socially inappropriate behaviors of elementary school students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) place them at risk for peer rejection, adjustment difficulties, and problem behavior. Peer-mediated interventions have emerged as an effective means of increasing the social interaction between students with ASD and their typically developing peers.  However, without specifically matching intervention strategies to observed deficits both in the students with ASD (e.g., poor social initiation and responding) and their peers (e.g., negative attitudes, poor responding to the peer with ASD), socially meaningful outcomes may not be obtained. 

Objectives:

The present study is designed to extend the peer-mediated intervention model by using a two-pronged approach: specifically providing peers with behavioral strategies to facilitate social interaction with the student with ASD  while also targeting negative peer attributions  through cognitive strategies. The goals of the peer-mediated intervention are: (a) to increase opportunities for positive social interaction between students with ASD and their peers by identifying school activities that optimize positive social interaction; (b) to assist peers in reframing attributions of the behavior of students with ASD through psycho-education; (c) to train peers in social interaction strategies; and (d) to decrease rejection and problem behavior in selected school activities. 

Methods:

The present study uses a multiple baseline across participants design to evaluate the impact of the intervention on the social behavior of three elementary school students with ASD and their peers.

Results:

The present study uses video vignettes of children with ASD as a means of assessing peer attributions based on core social deficits commonly observed in children with ASD. These data are used to individualize the cognitive strategies to target negative attributions for participating peers. These results and strategies will be described.  In addition, data obtained from social behavioral coding of peer and student with ASD interaction will be described as an important foundation in determining specific behavioral strategies to employ in peer training.  These results and strategies will also be described. Finally, the impact of the intevention will be depicted through a multiple baseline design across participants which will reflect changes in social interaction.

Conclusions:

Given that research suggests that the success of school inclusion may be mediated by the social acceptance and rejection of peers (Odom et al., 2006), examining and modifying negative peer attributions and facilitating positive social interaction among students with ASD and their peers is clearly important.  The present study reflects an important next step in the refinement of peer-mediated interventions by using both cognitive and behavioral approaches  to specifically reduce rejection and enhance social interaction.  Challenges and next steps will be discussed.