The research problem: Developing effective teaching procedures for teaching the "Wh-" questions as mands.
Hypothesis: Teaching children diagnosed with autism to mand (request) using "Wh-" questions will reduce socially inappropriate behavior.
Population/Participants: Children diagnosed with autism (Ages 3-12)
Selection of Participants: My theoretical population would be all students with autism. Given that here in Richmond we have a 'School for Autism' and I happen to know the 'Director of CABAS Research' there I would use them as my 'sample'. I would use a proportional stratified random sampling with the 'strata' being ages to insure I had equal representation across age levels. I would choose this method over random sampling cluster sampling to make sure I could demonstrate effects across all ages evenly. I would have half of the children in each grade be the 'control' group to demonstrate effects.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
ERIC Search
By ERIC I am assuming you mean the main VCU library portal (which synthesizes multiple search directories). I sure hope because that's what I used:)
My initial search term was 'Autism and consciousness' which yielded two very good articles. The first one was 'A paradigm shift in consciousness research' which spoke to the 'state of the science' and how we are moving from correlational studies to causal studies. While not specific to autism, the paper views autism, as well as ADHD and schizophrenia as 'developmental disorders of conscious self-regulation'. I had never thought of it in those terms but it does mirror some of the theories of 'motivation' which anchor much of behaviorism. A cognitive scientist might use the term 'attention' rather than 'motivation' but they both capture the phenomenon of 'focusing the neural apparatus into a point to that self-awareness takes place'. We 'focus' on people because of the reinforcing qualities. The same could be said for why we 'attend' to others (in the social sense).
The second paper rattled me a little, it is a paper titled 'autistic integrity' and it takes a direct shot at the idea that people diagnosed with autism need to be cured and makes the moral case for stopping efforts to cure adults with autism. I think this is a growing concern in my field, especially considering we operate without 'informed consent'. I tend to be keenly sensitive to this point of view and agree with it in broad strokes. I do think a distinction needs to made between those people on the spectrum who have the skills to advocate for themselves and those who do not possess the communicative skills and/or behavioral deficits that preclude self-advocacy. I maintain that it's 'moral' to teach them to the skills necessary to self-advocate or, be definition, they will always be at the mercy of others.
Neither of these has helped me especially in moving closer to a research topic though so I switched terms to 'autism and language'.
This search yielded a lot of great articles. A wonderful piece on music and autism, another that very usefully looks at interventions, a case study in which a person diagnosed with asperger's has a talent for language and many more. (I admit I've gotten lost in reading abstracts:)
I am now thinking about your reply to my last post in which you suggested I not worry about data collection at this point but focus more on a research question, especially analyzing whether or not I have a qualitative or quantitative question. The answer, I don't know yet but I am VERY glad I am taking this class.
Adam
My initial search term was 'Autism and consciousness' which yielded two very good articles. The first one was 'A paradigm shift in consciousness research' which spoke to the 'state of the science' and how we are moving from correlational studies to causal studies. While not specific to autism, the paper views autism, as well as ADHD and schizophrenia as 'developmental disorders of conscious self-regulation'. I had never thought of it in those terms but it does mirror some of the theories of 'motivation' which anchor much of behaviorism. A cognitive scientist might use the term 'attention' rather than 'motivation' but they both capture the phenomenon of 'focusing the neural apparatus into a point to that self-awareness takes place'. We 'focus' on people because of the reinforcing qualities. The same could be said for why we 'attend' to others (in the social sense).
The second paper rattled me a little, it is a paper titled 'autistic integrity' and it takes a direct shot at the idea that people diagnosed with autism need to be cured and makes the moral case for stopping efforts to cure adults with autism. I think this is a growing concern in my field, especially considering we operate without 'informed consent'. I tend to be keenly sensitive to this point of view and agree with it in broad strokes. I do think a distinction needs to made between those people on the spectrum who have the skills to advocate for themselves and those who do not possess the communicative skills and/or behavioral deficits that preclude self-advocacy. I maintain that it's 'moral' to teach them to the skills necessary to self-advocate or, be definition, they will always be at the mercy of others.
Neither of these has helped me especially in moving closer to a research topic though so I switched terms to 'autism and language'.
This search yielded a lot of great articles. A wonderful piece on music and autism, another that very usefully looks at interventions, a case study in which a person diagnosed with asperger's has a talent for language and many more. (I admit I've gotten lost in reading abstracts:)
I am now thinking about your reply to my last post in which you suggested I not worry about data collection at this point but focus more on a research question, especially analyzing whether or not I have a qualitative or quantitative question. The answer, I don't know yet but I am VERY glad I am taking this class.
Adam
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Research Proposal
I've got an eye towards my PhD dissertation (the details of which are entirely unknown to me at this time). My initial thoughts were: I'm in a program (Special Ed. & Disability Policy) that does not align too neatly with my Master's (Applied Behavior Analysis/Special Education) and frankly, I find myself surrounded by folks hostile to behaviorism. So I was thinking a hard and fast strategy, focusing on something like a meta-analysis of an existing data set (saw an interesting PhD thesis by someone at MCV who did, "The Rate of Reporting of Civil Rights Violations by Persons Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder". Pretty straightforward, doubt you even need an IRB.
But my passion is the 'malfunctions' in neural functioning that result in http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifpresentations like autism spectrum. I was trained in a sub-specialty of ABA called 'Verbal Behavior' based on a 1957 theoretical work of the same name. I view autism as, essentially, a malfunction of consciousness. For reasons we don't understand, consciousness does not 'unfold' naturally like it does in almost every other human being. A key component of 'knowing oneself' is the internalization of language and 'ownership' of that 'voice' as ones' own. After all, you...your experience of yourself happens in the language you learn as a child. No language, then there is no 'you' talking in your head.
There has been some research into this 'speaker-as-own-listener'. I'm now thinking about doing something based on Skinner's chapter in Verbal Behavior on 'Thinking'. Dr. Mark Sundberg publisper a paper in 1991 titled, "301 Research Topics from Skinners Verbal Behavior" . I spent two days last week at a training he did and he might help guide me.
As someone who is fascinated by autism, I also look at how we help the kids learn to talk, learn to be social, learn to navigate the world...(but I know the troubles with IRB's and research with kids).
Okay, I could go on and on. This is my first class and I'm very much looking forward to your thoughts.
Adam
But my passion is the 'malfunctions' in neural functioning that result in http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifpresentations like autism spectrum. I was trained in a sub-specialty of ABA called 'Verbal Behavior' based on a 1957 theoretical work of the same name. I view autism as, essentially, a malfunction of consciousness. For reasons we don't understand, consciousness does not 'unfold' naturally like it does in almost every other human being. A key component of 'knowing oneself' is the internalization of language and 'ownership' of that 'voice' as ones' own. After all, you...your experience of yourself happens in the language you learn as a child. No language, then there is no 'you' talking in your head.
There has been some research into this 'speaker-as-own-listener'. I'm now thinking about doing something based on Skinner's chapter in Verbal Behavior on 'Thinking'. Dr. Mark Sundberg publisper a paper in 1991 titled, "301 Research Topics from Skinners Verbal Behavior" . I spent two days last week at a training he did and he might help guide me.
As someone who is fascinated by autism, I also look at how we help the kids learn to talk, learn to be social, learn to navigate the world...(but I know the troubles with IRB's and research with kids).
Okay, I could go on and on. This is my first class and I'm very much looking forward to your thoughts.
Adam
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