Assessment and Treatment of Problem Behavior Occasioned by Variable-Sequence Transitions for Children with Autism

Leon, Y., Brewer, A., Fandal, M.*, Jimenez-Gomez, C., & Dracobly, J. D. (2023). Assessment and treatment of problem behavior occasioned by variable- sequence transitions for children with autism. Behavioral Interventions, 38, e1968 . https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.1968

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Transitions from one daily activity to the next can occasion problem behavior (e.g., aggression). Inspired by clinical descriptions of children with autism, we compared the effects of fixed-sequence and variable-sequence transitions on problem behavior using a multiple baseline across participant design. In the fixed-sequence condition, participants were exposed to the same sequence of activities. In the variable-sequence condition, the sequence of activities was varied semi-randomly. Results showed that transition-related problem behavior was more likely to occur in the variable-sequence condition. Advance notice of the upcoming transition, in the form of auditory and visual cues, was effective at reducing transition-related problem behavior in the variable-sequence condition for two participants. Results are discussed in light of the effect of uncertainty of outcomes, and suggestions for future cross-disciplinary research are provided.