Research: Environmental Fit: A Model for Assessing and Treating Problem Behavior Associated with Curricular Difficulties in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Authored by Blakeley-Smith, A., Carr EG, Cale SI, and Owen-DeSchryver JS in Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, Volume 24, Issue 3, p. 131-145, (2009).

Article summary (posted Jan 13, 2010):

Children with autism may have fewer behavior problems when they are in an environment where they can successfully complete tasks.

A child with autism who has a good environmental fit is in an environment that is geared toward their abilities. With a good fit, they may have more success with motor (movement) and academic (e.g. reading) tasks. This study asked whether environmental fit was related to problem behaviors for 6 children with autism (4 to 13 years old). The authors said that children with autism who had good environmental fit had fewer problem behaviors. They also completed more tasks correctly, and they felt better overall. The authors said that matching activities with current skill levels may help lower problem behaviors for children with autism.

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You can access the original abstract and the complete paper is sometimes available for free via Google Scholar (look for entries that say "PDF" or "HTML" on the right side of the page).
academic support system, autism, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), environment, motor, movement, problem behavior, read
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