Inclusive education requires teachers to adapt to children’s learning styles. Children with autism spectrum disorder bring challenges to classroom teaching, often exhibiting interests restricted to particular topics. Teachers can be faced with a dilemma either to accommodate these restricted interests (RIs) into teaching or to keep them out of the classroom altogether. In this article, we examined all peer-reviewed studies of teaching children with autism spectrum disorder with RIs published between 1990 and 2014. We find that positive gains in learning and social skills can be achieved by incorporating children’s RIs into classroom practice: Of 20 published studies that examined 91 children, all reported gains in educational attainment and/or social engagement. Negative consequences were limited to a decrease in task performance in one child and a transient increase in perseverative behaviors in two children. The evidence supports the inclusion of RIs into classroom practice. Methods of inclusion of RIs ...

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Teaching Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder With Restricted Interests A Review of Evidence for Best Practice

This descriptive study examined the role that preferred interests played in an adult population with autism spectrum disorders—how preferred interests are viewed retrospectively during childhood, as well as how adults on the spectrum have incorporated these interests into their current lives. Results showed that participants have a positive view of preferred interests, view preferred interests as a way to mitigate anxiety, and engage in vocational and avocational pursuits around their preferred interests. Findings support a strength-based view of preferred interests with the majority of participants articulating that their areas of interest were positive, beneficial, and should be encouraged.

Characterization and Utilization of Preferred Interests: A Survey of Adults on the Autism Spectrum

Siblings of children and young people with a chronic illness are at increased risk of poor psychological functioning. A number of studies have attempted to implement and evaluate interventions targeting the psychological well-being of this at-risk group. This systematic review summarises the evidence regarding psychological functioning of siblings following an intervention targeting their well-being. The meta-analysis considered behaviour and knowledge, two of the most frequently studied outcomes. The following databases were used: PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. Seventeen studies were eligible to be included in the systematic review and eight in the meta-analysis. Results from the systematic review reflected the inconsistency of intervention evaluations in this area with a high level of heterogeneity and a total of 23 outcomes considered across the 17 included studies. The meta-analysis estimated effect sizes using a standardised mean difference (SMD) approach. Pre-post analysis suggested significant improvement in behavioural outcomes and knowledge of their sibling's health conditions with a SMD of - 0.44 [95% CI (- 0.6, - 0.29); p = 0.000] and 0.69 [(95% CI = 0.42, 0.96); p = 0.000], respectively. The SMD was not significant for behavioural outcomes when considering treatment-control studies. In conclusion, the findings suggest interventions for well-being have a positive effect on the psychological functioning of siblings of children and young people with a chronic illness, but their specificity needs to be established. There is a need for further, more methodologically robust research in this area.

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Impact of Well-being Interventions for Siblings of Children and Young People with a Chronic Physical or Mental Health Condition: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Researchers have studied many interventions to address the core impairment in social interactions in autism spectrum disorder. We reviewed the social skills intervention literature over the past two years (2012-2014). Social skills intervention studies have increased by 35 % over our previous review of 2010- 2012. Nearly equal numbers of studies reported results using single subject research designs (n = 29) and group designs (n = 25). Consistent with our previous review, many studies focused on joint attention/joint engagement for young children and interventions addressing peer interactions for older children. Advancements in this review period included more replications of intervention models, longitudinal outcomes, and a focus on minimally verbal children. Notably absent are social interventions for adults, and interventions addressing school-based inclusion. In addition to these target areas, future studies should isolate active ingredients of social interventions, include broader participant representation, and further examine the relation between neural development and behavioral outcomes.

Psychosocial Treatments for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder Across the Lifespan: New Developments and Underlying Mechanisms

Autistic individuals often possess strengths and abilities. Despite these strengths, employment outcomes for this population remain low. Strengths-based programs, focusing on developing skills in a supportive environment, may enable autistic adolescents to more effectively prepare for the workforce. This study explores the principal components and associated outcomes of a strengths-based program designed to support autistic children and adolescents to develop interests and skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. The baseline results of 52 parents of autistic youth participating in a 3-year longitudinal survey study were explored, with results showing that according to parents the program positively impacted participants' sense of belonging, confidence and self-esteem, health and well-being, social relationships and interactions, and activities and participation.

“We Can See a Bright Future”: Parents’ Perceptions of the Outcomes of Participating in a Strengths-Based Program for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Siblings are a critical part of lifelong support for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). But siblings face their own social-emotional adjustment needs. These needs may be addressed through programs that include support groups specifically for the siblings. This study examined the effects of a community program on typical siblings' depression, anxiety, ASD knowledge, and peer network as well as reciprocal interactions between the typical sibling and sibling with ASD. The program provided a sibling support group, a skills intervention for children with ASD, and an inclusive recreation time. Siblings reported significant decreases in depression and physiological anxiety and improvements in their peer network. Autism knowledge increased but only approached significance. Direct observations revealed improvement in reciprocal interactions by most children that did not reach statistical significance. Parents, typical siblings, and interventionists indicated positive reactions to the program and its goals and outcomes. Findings are discussed in terms of the need to continue to explore interventions for siblings of children with ASD.

A Community Support Program for Children with Autism and Their Typically Developing Siblings: Initial Investigation.

Children with autism show significant deficits in joint attention (JA), which occurs when 2 people engage in verbalizations, gestures, or eye contact with each other and a common object. Children with autism also exhibit intense interests in specific topics (i.e., circumscribed interests; CI). This study investigated the effectiveness of teaching responding to JA directives (RJA) to 3 children with autism while engaged in CI activities. RJA increased during intervention and generalized from CI to preferred activities.

Increasing responding to others' joint attention directives using circumscribed interests.

Joint attention occurs when two people engage in eye contact, verbalizations, or gestures between each other and a common object for the purpose of social interaction. Interventions which embedded participant’s circumscribed interests (i.e., specific topics or themes of abnormal intensity) in materials found increases in joint attention without direct intervention. Previous joint attention intervention successfully taught three children with autism to respond to others’ joint attention directives using interventions with circumscribed interest-related materials. However, initiating joint attention and generalization across materials and settings were not addressed. The current study investigated the effectiveness of prompt fading and reinforcement while engaging in circumscribed interest-related activities on initiating joint attention for three children with autism. All children acquired joint attention initiations; however, only two did so while engaging with circumscribed interest-related materials. Participants demonstrated variable generalization across activities, partners, and settings. Parents reported declines in circumscribed interest-related social interference from pre- to post-intervention. Results suggest teaching joint attention initiations using circumscribed interest-related materials to teach joint attention initiations may be an effective strategy for some children with autism. Future research implications are discussed.

Lauren A. Kryzak

Papers

A Community Support Program for Children with Autism and Their Typically Developing Siblings: Initial Investigation.

Increasing responding to others' joint attention directives using circumscribed interests.

The Effect of Prompts within Embedded Circumscribed Interests to Teach Initiating Joint Attention in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders