The Effect of a Transition Song on the Length of Transitions Among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a transition song on the length of transitions of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), specifically for transitions of a longer distance from one part of a building to another. Transitions are commonly identified as a problem for children with ASD. Participants in this study (N = 3) were recruited from an educational center for children with special needs in a large Midwestern city, and ranged in age from 4 to 8 years old at the time of the study. A single subject reversal (ABAB) design was used, with the researcher meeting each child individually during a daily transition. During the baseline phases, the researcher measured the length of the transition without the transition song. During the intervention phases, the researcher timed the transition while singing the transition song. Graphic analysis was used to analyze the data. For all three participants, the transition song resulted in a shorter average transition time than when the transition song was not used. Limitations and implications for further research are discussed.