Abstract
Children with autism spectrum disorder demonstrate challenges in socialization that can interfere with their participation in common childhood activities and can persist or worsen if not addressed. The purpose of this study was to assess whether individualized education program (IEP) social goals could be targeted by a supervised paraprofessional during a short-term inclusive summer camp program. Data were collected using a concurrent multiple baseline design across four children. Results showed that following a 2-week summer camp program all participants made social improvements, reaching their year-long IEP goals, that maintained at follow-up in natural environments. Further, the paraprofessionals reached fidelity of implementation. Findings are discussed in terms of the value and feasibility of providing social interventions in inclusive summer camps.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Sunny Kim, Maya Fehler, and Madison Werchowsky for their assistance with data collection and analysis. This manuscript was partially funded by National Institute of Mental Health Grant #MH28210 National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders #DC010924 the Kind World Foundation, the Bialis Family Foundation, and the Eli and Edythe L. Broad Foundation. Lynn and Robert Koegel are partners in the private firm Koegel Autism Consultants, LLC.
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LKK and RLK conceived the study, its design, data analysis, and coordinated and drafted the manuscript. LBG and LKK supervised the intervention and coordinated the study. LBG and FAC developed the scoring systems, collected and scored the data. LBG analyzed IEPs and LKK and LBG developed the individualized interventions. LBG and FAC assisted with the literature review. All authors assisted with interpretation of the data, the manuscript draft, and read and approved the final version.
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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Koegel, L.K., Glugatch, L.B., Koegel, R.L. et al. Targeting IEP Social Goals for Children with Autism in an Inclusive Summer Camp. J Autism Dev Disord 49, 2426–2436 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-03992-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-03992-4