Preferred Name
Trey Powers
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Date of Graduation
5-14-2026
Semester of Graduation
Spring
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Department of Psychology
First Advisor
Trevor Stokes
Second Advisor
Tonya Lambert-Delp
Third Advisor
Tiffany Hornsby
Fourth Advisor
Rose Nevill
Abstract
The current study examined the effects of a behavioral skills training (BST) on the frequency with which participants engaged in positive interaction skills that could be used when interacting with individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The behaviors for which the BST sought to increase were identified through a study that interviewed the members of a local autism community and first responders regarding actions that can be taken to foster more positive interactions when both specifically first responders and individuals with autism are at an emergency scene. A multiple baseline across behaviors design was used to assess the effect of the BST on the targeted behaviors: providing space, reflective listening, and utilization of effective instructional strategies. During baseline, role-play sessions occurred with the objectives for participants to ask questions and provide contextually appropriate instructions to the confederate. The confederate utilized programmed scripts that dictated adaptive responses and behaviors during the role-play sessions. The BST was introduced to participants systematically, and subsequent role-play sessions were recorded and analyzed.
