Date of Defense

3-13-1998

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Galen Alessi

Second Advisor

Dr. Jack Michael

Third Advisor

Dr. Patrica Mienhold

Abstract

The present study is designed to compare social ratings before and after the sibling of an autistic child has undergone sibling implemented Pivotal Response Training (PRT). In the present study data were collected from two sample populations. The first population consisted of college students and the second population consisted of first and second grade children. The number of college student subjects in each session varied due to volunteer availability. Each session was one hour long and consisted of subjects viewing twelve, 3-minute videotaped segments. Following each segment, the subjects were asked to fill out an evaluation form containing the following four questions: a). "How well were the children in the videotape playing together?", b). "How much would another child like to play with the children in the videotape?", c). "How happy does the child on the right seem?", and d). "How happy does the child on the left seem?". The data for the first and second grade children were collected in two 30-minute sessions over a period of two weeks. The subjects viewed the same 12, three minute videotaped segments. The subjects evaluated the first six segments during the first session and the remaining six segments during the second session. The subjects filled out evaluation forms following each segment containing the following two questions: a). "How well were the children on the videotape playing together?" and b). "How much would you like to play with the children in the videotape?". Changes in the social behavior of the children with autism were evaluated by social ratings by college students and first and second grade children. These social ratings were derived from questionnaire responses. The main findings of this study were that 1. there was a significant difference between baseline and post-treatment segments, 2. there was a significant difference between the way the college students rated the sibling dyads and the way the elementary school children rated the sibling dyads, and 3. it is difficult to gain reliable data from the elementary school population.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Campus Only

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