Revision [2299]
Last edited on 2011-12-15 23:46:33 by CarolynLavinAdditions:
Connection to Course Content:
There were many components of my internship that connected with material I have learned in the classroom. First, I was able to observe the diagnostic criteria for Asperger’s Disorder and High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder’s in the children at the camp. As learned in Child Psychopathology, the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria includes:
A. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
1) marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
2) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
3) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)
4) lack of social or emotional reciprocity
B. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:
1) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
2) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
3) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g. hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
4) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
C. The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
D. There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g. single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years).
E. There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood.
These characteristics varied greatly in each child, but were all apparent and observable to a certain degree.
I completed the internship before taking the Behavior Modification course with Dr. Sanders. However, it was extremely useful to go through the course after the internship because I was able to connect the content with everything I had learned over the summer. One of the most important connections was my understanding of positive reinforcement. In the program, the children are rewarded with points every single time they use a social skill. I learned in the course that this is using a continual schedule of reinforcement of positive reinforcement for a desired behavior (social skills). The children also lost points for using negative behaviors, which is a form of punishment known as response-cost. I learned in the course that response-cost is a system in which someone can earn something (points) for desired behaviors and lose the same thing or something else for doing negative behaviors. The children also earned popsicles, field trips, and rewards at home as rewards/positive reinforcers.
Another aspect of camp that connected with the content I learned in Behavior Modification is the use of time-outs. It is a form of punishment, and while it has a bad reputation, time-out can be crucial to a change in behavior. Time-outs were used in the camp when a child violated another’s personal space to cause harm and when instructions were not followed after the second time they were given. I learned in the internship and in the course that it is important to have a neutral but firm tone of voice and not to show anger when using punishment with a child.
Much of the content I learned in Behavior Modification this semester had been key components in the Connections program. Both the internship and the course taught me I want to have a career in this field.
There were many components of my internship that connected with material I have learned in the classroom. First, I was able to observe the diagnostic criteria for Asperger’s Disorder and High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder’s in the children at the camp. As learned in Child Psychopathology, the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria includes:
A. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
1) marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
2) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
3) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)
4) lack of social or emotional reciprocity
B. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:
1) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
2) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
3) stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g. hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
4) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
C. The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
D. There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g. single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years).
E. There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood.
These characteristics varied greatly in each child, but were all apparent and observable to a certain degree.
I completed the internship before taking the Behavior Modification course with Dr. Sanders. However, it was extremely useful to go through the course after the internship because I was able to connect the content with everything I had learned over the summer. One of the most important connections was my understanding of positive reinforcement. In the program, the children are rewarded with points every single time they use a social skill. I learned in the course that this is using a continual schedule of reinforcement of positive reinforcement for a desired behavior (social skills). The children also lost points for using negative behaviors, which is a form of punishment known as response-cost. I learned in the course that response-cost is a system in which someone can earn something (points) for desired behaviors and lose the same thing or something else for doing negative behaviors. The children also earned popsicles, field trips, and rewards at home as rewards/positive reinforcers.
Another aspect of camp that connected with the content I learned in Behavior Modification is the use of time-outs. It is a form of punishment, and while it has a bad reputation, time-out can be crucial to a change in behavior. Time-outs were used in the camp when a child violated another’s personal space to cause harm and when instructions were not followed after the second time they were given. I learned in the internship and in the course that it is important to have a neutral but firm tone of voice and not to show anger when using punishment with a child.
Much of the content I learned in Behavior Modification this semester had been key components in the Connections program. Both the internship and the course taught me I want to have a career in this field.
