Using Music-Based Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions to Increase Delay Tolerance for Young Children
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often engage in challenging behavior when faced with situations that require delay tolerance. While applied behavior analysis-based strategies have strong support for teaching delay tolerance (waiting skills), research exploring naturalistic interventions to teach this skill preemptively is limited. This study examined the effectiveness of Music-Based Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (MB-NDBI) to teach waiting for preferred items in preschool-aged children with autism. Results showed a functional relation in which MB-NDBI decreased challenging behavior during delays. Descriptively, levels of challenging behavior during probes in generalization settings were similar to those during intervention probes. Findings suggest that integrating music into a behavioral intervention framework is a promising, contextually relevant strategy for developing delay tolerance in young children with autism.
Authors: Madelynne P. Hellemn, Jessica N. Torelli
Institution: University of Georgia
Language: English
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W7208817728