Shadowing techniques for young children with autism: Extending ABA procedures from home to school
Year: 2004
Type: conference-paper
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: This study extends an earlier paper on home-school collaboration for children with autism (Monahan & Bryer, 2003) into classroom practice. The study details how a privately funded ABA-trained therapist assists children with autism to generalise skills learned in home-based ABA programmes into mainstream preschool education environments. The therapist acts as a "shadow" who uses ABA modelling and imitation methodology to encourage the child to attempt a range of social activities using cues previously learned in the home-based programme. In particular, this shadowing is used to facilitate social skills development with same-age peers. Case data for a child with severe autistic spectrum disorder is reported. While engaged in intensive home-based ABA interventions together with participation in government-funded special education classes, this child was also included in a mainstream setting. The therapist used a pictorial schedule board to assist with transitioning and PECS to assist with communication. The therapist shadowed the child's interaction with same-age peers using modelling and prompting. It is suggested that this shadowing model could be employed in more preschool settings. The shadowing approach provides professional support for the preschool staff and valuable developmental opportunities for the child to learn, alongside normally developing same-age peers, to regulate emotions and practice social and communicative skills.
Source: Griffith Research Online
Authors: Sharon Lee Monahan, Fiona Kayleen Bryer
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1714130141