The Role of Program Consistency in a Summer Therapeutic Camp for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Although evidenced-based practices, delivered with procedural integrity are increasingly common in the field of autism, generalizing those practices to less traditional settings is not. The present study, conducted at a summer therapeutic camp used a single subject multiple baseline across participants research design to evaluate the effects of contingent reinforcement utilizing both a variable-interval (VI) 5-minute variable-interval Differential Reinforcement of Other behaviors (VDRO) schedule of reinforcement and a VI 5-minute momentary DRO (MDRO) schedule of reinforcement, combined with token delivery and response cost procedure on increasing compliance and decreasing disruptive behaviors for three, 8-year old males with developmental disabilities. Results are discussed in light of the positive role summer therapeutic camps may play for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and the critical role teachers and staff play in precisely delivering evidenced-based practices, especially in more non-traditional, community-centered educational settings.