Consultation With the Mother of a Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Comparison of Behavioral Recording Methods

Abstract

Effective methods of home recording that might facilitate behavioral changes in parents receiving consultation have not yet been clarified. The present study examined the effectiveness of 2 methods by which the mother of a boy with autism spectrum disorder who had developed behavioral problems at home recorded her son's behavior. The goal of the consultation was to provide independent support and help in the adjustment of the mother. The interventions that were introduced successively were (a) having the mother record only her son's behavior, and (b) have her record both her own and her son's behavior. The results indicated that during the latter intervention, the procedures were implemented correctly, and the son's behavioral problems decreased. Moreover, even when the procedures were returned to the former intervention, the frequency of her son's behavioral problems remained low. Next, the process of behavioral change was analyzed from the perspective of the behavior contingency of the mother. The results indicated that the mother had developed appropriate self-rules for dealing with her son by implementing ABC recording of her son's behavior, as well as changing the environment. These results suggest that the intervention might have facilitated the improvement in his behavior. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)