Evaluation of Classroom Performance in Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Background: Emotional regulation is the capacity to modulate behavior in response to the physical and social environment and is critical for academic persistence and independence (Connor, et al., 2010; Acock, & Morrison 2006; Prizant, Wetherby, Rubin, Laurent, & Rydell, 2006).  Students entering the classroom better able to self-regulate are more prepared and available for learning, and research in typically developing students has shown that successful self-regulatory abilities predict positive academic outcomes (Connor et al., 2010; Ponitz & McClelland, 2009; McClelland, Acock, Morrison, 2006).  Currently, there is limited research on emotional regulation and other variables contributing to academic outcomes and classroom performance in students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  Objectives: The purpose of this study was to 1) describe emotional regulation, productivity, and independence in the classroom in a sample of students diagnosed with ASD, and 2) evaluate the concurrent relationships among these classroom variables and standardized measures of adaptive behavior and vocabulary.  Methods: Participants were recruited from the Classroom SCERTS Intervention Project, a longitudinal public school-based intervention study for students with ASD in Kindergarten through second grade.  Participants were diagnosed with ASD (n = 107) at the beginning of the school year and completed an evaluation battery including standardized measures of adaptive functioning and vocabulary.  Additionally, teachers were given a series of questionnaires including the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).  Observational data for this study consisted of a fifteen minute video sample across varying classroom activities, coded using the Noldus Observer^® Video-Pro Software.  Results: Preliminary analyses were conducted on a subset of 48 students of the total collected data.  During the 15-minute sample, students spent time in a well-regulated state (M = 12:35, SD = 02:46), productive state (M = 07:18, SD = 03:20), and independent state (M = 03:49, SD = 03:35).  A moderate, positive relationship was found between time spent in a well-regulated state and time spent in a productive state, r = 417, p < .003.  Analyses revealed positive relationships among the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS) Adaptive Functioning Composite and time spent in a well-regulated r = .292, p < .044 and independent state r = .406, p < .004, as well as moderate, positive relationships among the VABS Social Composite and time spent in a productive r = .400, p < .005 and independent state r = .370, p < .010.  Analyses also revealed moderate, positive relationships among the CBCL Adaptive Functioning Composite and time spent in a well-regulated r = .402, p < .005 and productive state r = .416, p < .003.  Conclusions: While students spent a large proportion of time in a well-regulated state, less than half of the time was spent in productive and independent states.  The concurrent relationships among these classroom variables and standardized measures provide validation of a unique school-based measure for evaluating classroom performance for students with ASD.  These preliminary results contribute to and expand on current research on indicators of academic success while providing insight for evaluating and planning effective programming for students with ASD in the classroom.