Work

The Effects of Behavioral Relaxation Training on Academic Task Completion Among Students with Autism in Inclusive Classrooms: A Single-Subject Design Study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: To help students with autism reach their potential, high-quality inclusive education emphasizes the importance of their full participation in school and classroom activities. Academic anxiety, however, can interfere with students' ability to follow instructions and, thereby, negatively affect their performance. We used a concurrent multiple-probe across tasks design within a single-subject research framework to coach students with autism in inclusive settings on relaxation behaviors to reduce their tension and increase their ability to complete tasks in Chinese literacy, mathematics, and English. Results indicated that behavioral relaxation training (BRT) produced positive effects on both behavioral and physiological outcomes and significantly improved academic task completion. Behavior changes stayed at a high level during the maintenance phase. In interviews, both caregivers and students reported positive attitudes toward the intervention, expressed strong acceptance of procedures, and confirmed that relaxation strategies facilitated assignment completion. Study limitations and implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Source: Behavioral Sciences

DOI: 10.3390/bs15121633

Authors: Yitong Jiang, Hongmei Liu, Yin Wang, Xiaoyi Hu

Institutions: University of Oregon, Beijing Normal University

Language: English

Topic: Behavioral and Psychological Studies

Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Quality education, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,654