B5-F The Use of Modeling and Shaping to Teach Hygienic Toileting Routines to Females with Autism

Although young children with autism often exhibit difficulties with independent hygiene skills, there is a lack of research in this area. In particular, there is a gap in studies focused on behavior analytic techniques for young females with autism to wipe independently after urinating or having a bowel movement. This study aims to address this gap by implementing a modeling and shaping procedure to increase the likelihood of female children with autism developing independent hygiene skills. This research is important as evidence suggests that females with autism who can manage their hygiene independently experience greater privacy, improved community access, and fewer unnecessary medical interventions (Veazy et al., 2016). The effectiveness of the intervention will be evaluated using a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across participants.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Participants will apply the behavior analytic concepts of modeling and shaping to  this hygiene skill.
2. Participants will learn to implement effective, individualized, teaching strategies to increase the independence of females with autism in managing toileting routines, such as wiping independently after urinating.
3. Participants will learn specialized techniques to collect and analyze data to determine the effectiveness of these intervention procedures

Speakers