AP21804


 * Guest Speaker Report **

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a wide range of neurological disorders characterized by impairments in socialization and communication, as well as certain behavioral patterns (Bell-Abbott). Ms. Cheryl Bell-Abbott, an ASD Teacher in Clay County, Florida, came to class and spoke with us about her workplace experiences. She told of how autistic children tend to have special interests and behaviors, such as this one child who liked to spin around in circles (Bell-Abbott). She also spent a lot of her time discussing how she addresses difficult behaviors in her classroom. For instance, when a child is using violent behavior, Ms. Bell-Abbot’s first step is to use a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) to identify the problem (Bell-Abbott). Once a problem has been identified, she gathers data to see what causes the student to act the way they do. Her final step is to use positive reinforcements (i.e. a treat for every desired response) in order to adjust the violent behavior (Woods). As a result, the child’s aggression gradually decreases. When compared to the textbook’s descriptions, Ms. Bell-Abbott’s experiences are pretty accurate. As stated by Barrett’s Law #5, fight fire with fire, and data with data. Ms. Bell-Abbott used a form of classical conditioning to get the child to change their aggressive actions, and it worked; therefore, this process of learning at least has some validity (Woods).

Bell-Abbott, Cheryl. General Psychology. Saint John's River State College, Orange Park. 17 July 2014. Guest Speaker. Wood, Samuel E., Ellen R. Green. Wood, and Denise Roberts. Boyd. //Mastering the World of Psychology//. Fourth ed. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon, 2011. Print.
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