Reducing Challenging Behaviors in Children with Autism

The purpose of this proposed single-subject study will be to compare Discrete Trial Training (DTT) and Social Stories (SS) to determine which intervention is more efficacious in reducing challenging behaviors in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The participants for this study will include six children (ages 7 to 9 years) with mild-moderate Autism, who can communicate with spoken language. All participants will undergo two types of intervention over a period of 8 weeks. An ABACA design will be used in which three participants will receive DTT for the first four weeks followed by the SS intervention, while the other three will receive the treatments in the opposite order. Outcome measures will be assessed using the Autism Behavioral Checklist and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale-2. It is predicted that the Social Stories intervention will be more effective than DTT in reducing challenging behaviors in children with ASD.