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| Safety Issues and Safety Skills Training With Children |
| Sunday, May 30, 2010 |
| 4:30 PM–5:50 PM |
| Texas Ballroom Salon C (Grand Hyatt) |
| Area: CBM/AUT; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Chair: Raymond G. Miltenberger (University of South Florida) |
| Discussant: Jack Scott (Florida Atlantic University) |
| CE Instructor: Jose Rios, M.S. |
| Abstract: This symposium presents three papers related to safety skills with children with autism and safety skills training with typically developing children. The first paper by Miltenberger and colleagues is an evaluation of a commercially available DVD and parent conducted in situ training for teaching abduction prevention skills to typically developing children. The second paper by Beck and Miltenberger is a survey of safety concerns by parents and teachers of children with autism. The third paper by Scott and Flood talks about safety and unintended injury of children with autism and the application of behavior analysis to the problem. Jack Scott will comment on each of the three papers in his role as the discussant |
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| Examining the Efficacy of the Safe Side Abduction Prevention Program and Parent Conducted In Situ Training |
| Raymond G. Miltenberger (University of South Florida), VICTORIA FOGEL (University of South Florida), Kimberly V. Beck (ABA Solutions, Inc.), Shannon S. Koehler (University of South Florida), Rachel K. Graves (University of South Florida), Jennifer A. Noah (University of South Florida), Krystal M. McFee (University of South Florida), Andrea N. Perdomo (University of South Florida) |
| Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Safe Side stranger safety DVD and in situ training conducted by parents for teaching abduction prevention skills to children. 27 children (6- to 8-years old) were randomly assigned to the Safe Side group or the control group. An in situ assessment was conducted with the control group and after training with the Safe Side group. For children who did not engage in the safety skills (say no, get away, and tell a parent when a stranger gets too close) during the assessment, parents conducted in situ training. A second in situ assessment evaluated the effects of in situ training for the control group and the Safe Side group. The results showed no difference between the control group and the Safe Side groups at the first assessment. However, both groups improved significantly at the second assessment. These results showed that the Safe Side DVD was not effective but that in situ training was effective for teaching abduction prevention skills. |
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| A Survey of Safety Concerns of Parents and Teachers of Children With Autism |
| KIMBERLY V. BECK (ABA Solutions, Inc.), Raymond G. Miltenberger (University of South Florida) |
| Abstract: A survey of safety concerns related to children with autism was completed by parents and teachers of children with autism. The degree of concern with 11 potential safety threats was rated on a 1 (not at all concerned) to 7 (extremely concerned) scale. A florida sample of 225 parents ranked the safety threats from most to least concern as follows: child being ridiculed or bullied, pedestrian safety, abduction, sexual abuse by adult or peer, running away, drowning, poisoning, playing with matches, and firearm injury. For a Florida sample of 89 teachers the order of most to least concern was: ridicule by peers, pedestrian safety, being bullied, running away, sexual abuse by adult, drowning, playing with matches, abduction, poisoning, sexual abuse by peer, and firearm injury. For a California sample of 31 teachers the order of most to least concern was pedestrian safety, sexual abuse by adult, poisoning, abduction, running away, drowning, being bullied, playing with matches, sexual abuse by peer, firearm injury, ridicule by peers. |
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| Safety and Unintentional Injury for Persons With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Targets for Behavior Analytic Intervention |
| JACK SCOTT (Florida Atlantic University), Bairbre Flood (Florida Atlantic University) |
| Abstract: This paper is a review of findings on the elevated risk status of persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Several common behaviors of persons with ASD increase their vulnerability to unintentional injury. Among these are fascination with certain settings or objects, deficits in communication and failure to appreciate safety rules and warnings, and a tendency to elope. Elopement coupled with access to water results in elevated risk for drowning. Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children ages 1 to 4 and the second leading cause of unintentional death for children 5-14. Data from several sources point to the risk ratios being much higher for children with ASD for drowning and a number of other causes of death. Injury rates are correspondingly elevated. Behavior analysts have the technology to dramatically decrease the risk profile of persons with ASD. Behavioral skills training (BST) and other behavior analytic safety approaches offer ways to train caregivers to modify unsafe environments and increase the effectiveness of their supervision and to directly train persons with ASD in key safety skills. This presentation concludes with recommendations for aligning high-risk-of-death behaviors for persons with ASD with priorities for behavior analytic research and intervention. |
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