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The Effects of Stability Ball Seating on the Behavior of Children with Autism During Instructional Activities

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Abstract

Children with ASD often display behavior problems that can lead to academic and social disruptions. This has led to the introduction of stability balls as an alternative seating method for children, both on the autism spectrum and with other needs. This study used a multiple baseline design and duration data to evaluate the effects of stability ball seating on attending and in-seat behavior for children with ASD who received ABA therapy in their homes. The intervention replaced their standard seating method with a stability ball. In the final phase participants chose their own seating method before beginning table work to assess preference. Following intervention the stability ball was found to increase both attending and in-seat durations for children with ASD.

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There was no funding for this research.

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Authors

Contributions

TK and RM designed the study and wrote the manuscript. TK conducted data collection and implemented intervention.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Raymond Miltenberger.

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All authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in this study 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.

Informed Consent

University IRB approval was obtained and informed consent was obtained from the parents of all individual participants included in the study.

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Krombach, T., Miltenberger, R. The Effects of Stability Ball Seating on the Behavior of Children with Autism During Instructional Activities. J Autism Dev Disord 50, 551–559 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-04283-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-04283-8

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