Occupational therapists management of negative behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorders
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify the sensory and behavioral techniques that occupational therapists use during therapy sessions to modify behavior in children with autism spectrum disorders. The study also examined the therapists' and parents' perception of the effectiveness of these strategies.
The study data was collected using two surveys, both developed by the researcher. A written survey was completed by four therapists on eight children between the ages of 3 and 10 diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. A phone survey was administered by the researcher to the parents of the eight children. The raw data was used to calculate frequencies.
The study found that therapists use sensory techniques more often and perceive these strategies to be more effective than the behavioral strategies. Parents were often unsure of what techniques were used, but often perceived both techniques to be effective.