Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often show language delays. Their limited communication skill may lead them to engage in the same disruptive behavior that previously got them what they wanted. Verbal behavior (VB), specifically mand training (MT), is one of the early language intervention strategies used to target language development…

The current study involved the development, scaling, and validation of a new, brief, strength-based measure of children's ecological support, as rated by their parents. The scaling and validation of the Child and Youth Ecological Assets Scale--Parent Form (C-YEAS-P) took place through two studies. The first study involved 500 parents who were…

Previous research by Williams, Siegel and Mazefsky (2018) investigated the relationship between verbal abilities and problem behaviors using data from the Autism Inpatient Collection (AIC). This research found a weak and inconsistent association between verbal abilities and problem behavior severity; however, adapting/coping scores were…

This dissertation investigates the effectiveness of a professional development program aimed at enhancing early childhood education (ECE) teachers' abilities to identify and address developmentally appropriate versus maladaptive behaviors in young children. Utilizing an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, the study involves pre- and…

This dissertation was designed to determine which behavior analytic intervention was more effective in the treatment and reduction of mouthing non-nutritive substances in children diagnosed with autism. This study included four participants in an A-B-A reversal design with a component analysis across four intervention phases. The study…

Students with disabilities are 200% more likely to be restrained by school personnel compared to nondisabled peers (Katsiyannis et al., 2020). The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (NVCI) in de-escalating the risk behavior of children with disabilities from exceptional children (EC) teacher…

Promoting positive relationships among young children is an important step towards improving their long-term social and academic outcomes. Children who have low rates of interactions with peers, who are identified as self-isolating, and who demonstrate other internalizing behaviors are at-risk for poor social and academic outcomes and therefore,…

The purpose of this study was to explore and evaluate the necessary adaptations to the Family Behavior Support application (FBSApp) paired with collaborative coaching for Spanish-speaking families of young children with disabilities and co-occurring challenging behaviors (CB) in home contexts. We utilized a multi-phase mixed methods research…

A neurological disorder, along with several behavioral issues, may be to blame for a child's subpar performance in the academic journey (such as anxiety, depression, learning disorders, and irritability). These symptoms can be used to diagnose children with ASD, and supervised machine learning models can help differentiate between ASD traits and…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that impacts areas of social communication and social interaction. The prevalence of ASD has increased in the last ten years. Symptoms and behaviors include restrictive and repetitive movements, highly restricted and fixated interests, insistence on sameness, and hypo or hyper-reactivity.…

This study assessed the effectiveness of using Behavioral Skills Training (BST) for parent training to implement functional behavior training and video modeling via a telehealth platform designed to increase manding abilities and to decrease problem behaviors with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). With eight participants, this study…

Preschool children exhibiting externalizing behavior problems are frequently subjected to harsh disciplinary measures, such as expulsion, which can have lasting negative effects. Teachers have the potential to better support these children by fostering their development of social-emotional skills. In this study, the researcher collaborated with a…

Military-connected children are a unique population that face specific challenges such as behavioral and academic challenges and teachers should have specific professional development to address these needs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate how the lack of in-service professional development influences teachers' perceptions…

Previous research identifies the negative outcomes associated with behavioral and emotional risk (BER) and experiences of trauma in childhood. Studies have shown that elevated BER and experiences of trauma are connected to poor academic performance, as well as other maladaptive behavioral outcomes (Martinez et al., 2014; Perfect et al., 2016; Ray…

Persistent challenging behaviors in early childhood education has shown to be an increasing problem for rural ABC school district. Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory indicates that children learn behavior expectations by imitating others receiving positive consequences and through social norming. ABC school district is in a state that does…