The Peak Assessment Tool And Relational Training System Essay

The PEAK Assessment tool and Relational Training System was published by Dr. Mark R. Dixon in February of 2014 after six years of empirical research. Dr. Dixon developed PEAK out of the realization that many Board Certified Behavioral Analysts (BCBA) and others working with autistic children were making clinical decisions without having a clear concept of what to instruct and how to execute it. Dr. Dixon worked with over two hundred children over a six year period of time to produce a meaningful and concise assessment of skills. Modules 1-3, Imitation, Consistency and Attention, have been researched for validity and reliability, the fourth module, Cooperation, is in the process of being tested.

Autism is a disease that is being diagnosed today more than ever before. In fact, as of 2014 the statistics for diagnosis of autism are one in sixty-eight children, with diagnosis being much more common in boys (Autism Speaks, 2016a). While there are many theories about what causes autism, there is currently not any proven predictor of what will cause this disease to develop (Landrigan, 2010). Since prevention is not possible at this time, it is extremely beneficial and important to research understanding and treatment of those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). There are many avenues of treatment for ASD, but one method that has received significant attention is applied behavior analysis (ABA). The goal of this research article is to explore the definition of applied behavior analysis, its development over time, and its application to real life. Some questions that will be explored are when and where did ABA originate, how has it developed over time, and what researchers contributed new findings to this intervention. Additionally, the methods that have been developed over time to implement ABA will be discussed, specifically with their application to autism and individuals diagnosed with ASD. Finally, there will be a discussion of how skills that individuals with ASD gain from applied behavioral analysis can be applied to a classroom setting.

Bondy, A., Esch, B. E., Esch, J. W., & Sundberg, M. (2010). Questions on verbal behavior and its application to individuals with autism: An interview with the experts. The Behavior Analyst Today, 11(3), 186.

This is why it is important that parents become trained in ABA. However, it is important that parents do not think that one approach will solve any child 's autism difficulties. The idea of using a “cookbook recipe” to fix their child is something that must be thrown out the window and techniques that encourage parents to become educated about the broadness of autism should be used. This includes learning how their child functions and ways to help design a ABA for their child rather than basing it off of statistics (Dillenburger et al.,2004).

Our first speaker for SW 325 The Helping Professional in Health Settings class was Sharon Boudreaux. Sharon has a Master of Arts in Teaching of special education. She focused on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for teaching children with autism and other forms of developmental setbacks. Sharon is currently the Director of Education Outreach at the Autism Center of North Mississippi (ACNM). The ACNM, which Sharon helped in creating and growing, provides educational and behavioral services to families and schools to help support children with autism spectrum disorders, developmental delays, learning difficulties, and challenging behaviors. The ACNM offers a multitude of services. Such services may include parent counseling, skill assessments, ABA therapy, services for schools, and parent and teacher training.

The Regents of the University of California. (2014). About PRT. Retrieved from The Regents of the University of California: https://education.ucsb.edu/autism/pivotal-response-treatment

The Applied Behavioral Analysis model, or (ABA) as it is commonly referred to, has been in practice for many years, touching the lives of many people of all ages, backgrounds, and degrees of the Autism spectrum. As with anything, there is a considerable amount of misinformation projecting a negative view of ABA. These views have questioned the protocol, application, and necessity of the ABA. The following is some information and facts to hopefully make clear what ABA not only does, but what it stands for as a therapy that will continue to help those in need.

If we look at the anatomical parts of the brain, we can notice differences in autistic children’s brain. According to Just, Cherkassky, Keller, Kana, and Minshew (2007), when autistic group was compared to control group, the functional connectivity was lower for the autistic participants between frontal and parietal areas, relevant parts of corpus callosum were smaller in cross sectional area and the size of the genu of the corpus callosum was associated with the functional connectivity of frontal-parietal. Applied Behavioral Analysis is one of the most widely used interventions working with children that have autism. ABA intervention is bases of the behavioral therapy that was introduced by B.F.Skinner, a spokesperson for

Autism spectrum disorders are a set of similar disorders that each have their own challenges that educators must address. Although K-12 educators are not directly responsible for the types of interventions that individuals receive before they begin school, it is beneficial for educators to be aware of how those interventions work so they may incorporate useful elements in future teaching. Additionally, educators should have a stockpile of knowledge that they can draw from. This should include current research in the field because so much of education is research- and evidence-based. Therefore, it is the educator’s responsibility to ensure that they are aware of early intervention programs and are keeping up to date with the trends and best practices in the field.

Readers are taught how to use ABA to teach speech and language, social, motor, and adaptive skills through a system of repetition, reward, and goal adjustment. The author also discusses what families should consider before choosing any treatment method for their child with autism, and specifically what key elements an IBI program should have. The curriculum, professional roles, parent involvement, inclusion, and pros and cons of a home based versus center based program are all covered. Staff training….. Characteristics of characteristics of children with autism.

Autism is categorized by deficits in maintaining social relationships and difficulty communicating. The number of children being diagnosed with autism is steadily increasing. Therefore the need incorporate effective interventions that focus on the development of the individual child has become an imperative component for their success. The key for children with Autism to achieve academic and social success depends upon the collaborative effort that is shared among all parties involved: family, teachers, peers; mental health professionals and the community.

My visit was done at Summit Autism Center in Roswell, Georgia on Friday, March 25th, 2016. I interviewed co-founder and director of the center, Jennifer. According to the mission statement, Summit Autism Center aims to “provide individualized, effective, and scientifically based treatment for children with autism and related disabilities that are not otherwise available” (Summit Autism, 2015). Jennifer stated that Summit, in addition to teaching independent living skills and basic school academics, they specialize in applied behavior analysis (ABA), which uses the verbal behavior principles written by B.F. Skinner. They focus on a wide range of skill in hopes of maximizing the individual potential of each child in attendance by working on:

Children with autism have difficulties understanding social models and so many of them have difficulties acquiring social skills while children with health development normally gain social and appropriate behavior by observing a model (Mash &Wolfe, 2010). If a child with autism is able to acquire social and adaptive skills they still need to learn how to generalize correct behaviors to different situations and tend to need consistent practice in maintaining those skills. To an autistic child generalization can be extremely difficult to break down and understand. Because of this ABA is

The hallmarks of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) involve marked deficits in social interaction as well as engagement in repetitive behaviors and language difficulties (Leblanc, Richardson, & Warnie, 2005). Although autism can have a profound impact on the capabilities and functioning of the individual, emerging research indicates that applied behavioral analysis (ABA) can be an effective tool for addressing many of the deficits that children with ASD face (Boutot & Myles, 2016). In fact, emerging research indicates that when ABA is utilized for the treatment of young children with ASD many of the challenges faced by this group can be ameliorated (Boutot & Myles, 2016). With these issues in mind the current investigation considers the seven elements of ABA identified by Baer, Wolf, and Risley (1968) in their seminal article on applied behavioral analysis and their application to individuals with ASD. Through a critical review of the seven elements of ABA in relation to ASD it will be possible to illustrate how this approach can be effective for improving outcomes for individuals diagnosed with autism.

Autism is a complex disability, as the way it manifests in each child differs in severity across numerous characteristics. Children diagnosed with autism qualify to receive special services and a “free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment” under the federal legislation, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Hunt & Marshall, 2012, p. 15). Autism was added to IDEA in 1990 as a new disability category. The legislation defines autism as “a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age 3 that adversely affects a child’s educational performance” (Hunt & Marshall, 2012, p. 301). The “Rules for the Provision of Special Education” from the State Superintendent of Public Instruction of Washington state also outlines eligibility and individualized education programs for children diagnosed with autism (Rules for the Provision of Special Education, p. 11 & 46). Furthermore, the DSM diagnoses autism when a child shows “qualitative impairments” in social interaction, communication, and “restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities” (Hunt & Marshall, 2012, p. 302).