Graduation Year

2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.S.

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

Degree Granting Department

Child and Family Studies

Major Professor

Kimberly Crosland, Ph.D., BCBA-D

Committee Member

Kwang-Sun Cho Blair, Ph.D., BCBA-D

Committee Member

Anthony Concepcion, Ph.D., BCBA-D

Keywords

antecedent interventions, feasibility, on-task behavior

Abstract

The number of students enrolled in public school systems receiving special education services continues to increase. Students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and those classified with emotional disturbance (ED) often engage in challenging behaviors such as inappropriate outbursts, disruptive behaviors, and off-task behavior that distract other students from learning. These behaviors can negatively impact educational outcomes for both the student and their classmates. Unfortunately, teachers often lack adequate training in addressing disruptive behavior in the classroom and have limited access to feasible interventions. Across-activity choice is a feasible antecedent intervention teachers can use in the classroom. It allows students the option to choose which of two structured activities they want to complete first, and teachers reinforce that choice by giving the student the selected activity. The purpose of the current study was to (a) evaluate the effects of across-activity choice on on-task and disruptive behaviors for elementary students with ASD or ED and (b) assess to what extent teachers were able to implement across-activity choice with fidelity. A multiple baseline design across participants was used to evaluate across-activity choice as an intervention for improving on-task behavior and decreasing disruptive behaviors. Choice did not substantially increase academic engagement therefore reinforcement was added and resulted in improvements for all three students in academic engagement and decreases in disruptive behaviors

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