Application of Coaching and Behavioral Skills Training During a Preschool Practicum With a College Student With Autism Spectrum Disorder

The current study looked at the effects of coaching using behavioral skills training (BST) outlined by Parsons, Rollyson, and Reid. The participant was a young adult with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) enrolled in a preschool practicum course as part of the early childhood special education (ECSE) licensure program at the university that she attended. Impairment in social pragmatics and executive functioning are associated with ASD and are critical for engaging in an evaluative and analytic process necessary for success as an ECSE teacher. Coaching, using the BST model paired with observation and immediate feedback in the practicum environment, was used to systematically address the participant's deficits in social pragmatics and executive functioning as it related to the practicum setting. The current applied study relied on a single-case demonstration to measure treatment outcomes and inform clinical decision making. Dependent measures in the study included visual scanning, verbal interactions, and engagement with preschool age children. Outcomes included an increase in all dependent variables. The impact of treatment on the participant's success in her preschool practicum will be discussed.