Social stories, video modeling, & computer?

A Very Solid Sample for a single-subject study!!!!!

Sansoti, F. J., & Powell-Smith, K. A. (2008). Using computer-presented social stories and video models to increase the social communication skills of children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 10, 162-178.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of computer-presented Social Stories and video model on the social communication skills of three children with high-functioning autism /asperger’s syndrome within general education environments.

Participants inclusion criteria

100% fully included high-functioning autism without any language concerns

Three Social Stories were designed to address an identified target behavior for each participant. Each story was 5 to 9 pages in length with POWERPOINT and Mayer Johnson picture symbols were places.

Three videos were constructed using a digital camcorder. In each video, the content of each participant’s Social Story was modeled by a similar-aged peer. Each video was approximately 45 seconds to 1 minute in duration.

Computer-presented social stories and video models

To increase the consistency of intervention implementation, an enhanced digital media presentation was created. Each participant’s Social Story and accompanying video model were converted into a self-advancing slide show using Microsoft PowerPoint.

Dependent measures

The effect of each video-modeled social story was assessed by measuring the percentage of intervals of social communication during observation. Specific target behaviors were identified for each participant through the interviews between the participants’ caregivers and teachers, as well as direct observation prior to the study.

Very detail examples of those dependent measures were shown in a table.

Data collection and interobserver agreement

A direct observation system, developed by the primary investigator, was used to code the occurrence of target behaviors using 15-second partial-interval recording. Observers using this coding system first observed for a 10-second interval then had 5 seconds to record the behavior in which the target child was engaged. Each participant was observed for 15 to 20 minutes two times per week.

Peer comparison data were also collected to ascertain the median level of social interactions in which typical peers engaged. During every fifth interval, data collectors selected the first comparison peer they saw and recorded his or her behavior. During each comparison peer interval, a different child was observed. These data were collected across all phases.

The reliability checks occurred during 20% of the baseline condition, 25% of the intervention condition, and 20% of the follow-up condition.

Experimental design:

A multiple-baseline across-participants design was used to assess changes in social communication skills. Furthermore, a follow-up phase was added for each participant.

Procedure

• Identification of target behaviors
• Baseline
• Intervention: observers were blinded to the intervention

Intervention, Intervention + teacher’s prompt

• Follow-up: two weeks following intervention.
• Generalization probes: Generalization probe observations were conducted for each participant during baseline, intervention, and maintenance phases of this study,

Treatment Integrity

Validity of measures: social story by two professionals, video modeling by two advanced doctoral students

Social story comprehension: All participants answered the comprehension questions with 75% to 100% accuracy.

Procedural reliability: Using a self-report checklist, the teacher, paraprofessional, or behavior specialist responsible for implementing the intervention checked off each day when the participant received the intervention.

Intervention Acceptability

Teacher acceptability of the video-modeled social story intervention was assed after the final follow-up phase of the study.

Data Analysis

Each participant’s social communication behaviors were graphed as a percentage of intervals per session.

Limitations:

By combining several components into one treatment package, information concerning the individual effect of each strategy on increasing the social communication skills of children with HFA/AD could not be assessed.

The amount of social reinforcement for each participant in his respective environments was not assessed.