The Effects of a Technology-Based Self-Monitoring Intervention on On-Task, Disruptive, and Task-Completion Behaviors for Adolescents with Autism

Abstract

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often present with difficulty in sustaining engagement and attention, and display disruptive behavior in classroom settings. Without appropriate intervention, these challenging behaviors often persist and negatively impact educational outcomes. Self-monitoring is a well-supported evidence-based practice for addressing challenging behaviors and improving pro-social behaviors for individuals with ASD. The use of self-monitoring procedures with the aid of handheld computer-based technology is an unobtrusive and innovative way of implementing an intervention. A withdrawal design was employed in order to assess the effectiveness of a technologically delivered, self-monitoring intervention called I-Connect in improving on-task and task completion behaviors and decreasing disruptive behavior with four adolescents with ASD. Results demonstrated improvements in on-task and task completion behaviors across all four participants, and disruptive behavior improved for two participants.