Comic Strip conversations for autistic students - Essay Example

NATURE OF THE PROBLEM The point of research is to determine the effectiveness of employing Comic Strip conversations to increase social interactionand decrease loneliness among children afflicted by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Melinda Pierson and Barbara Glaeser of California State University in Fullerton carried out a study to ascertain how autistic children can be helped using “comic strips” and overcome feelings of social alienation and loneliness. Children afflicted by such a disorder were often found to experience high level of loneliness and social alienation because of poor communication, faulty emotional process and impaired social cognition (Travis and Sigman, 1998). Consequently, their relationships are highly restricted leading to social alienation in ASD-afflicted children, one of the main characteristics of autism. However they often do not have a good understanding of their relationships. Though the overall quality of friendships shared by autistic children is found to be quite poor, they may perceive it as much stronger and closer than what their peers might think. There have been prior studies using comic strip conversations to teach a child with autism, which have yielded positive results. This kind of teaching allows students to interact with their teacher despite difficulties in language and expression. Comic Strip conversations are basically taken from real life, which allows students to pick up social skills. The strips are designed to provide students with alternatives for behaviour that has a direct impact on their peer relationship. SUBJECTS The subjects attended a special school in a segregated setting that provide them a kind of special training and focus on their welfare. At the time of the study, the students were six, seven and eight years of age. All students received more than 50% of their academic instruction within a special education setting. In order to select the subjects for the study, the researchers observed students on a daily basis for two weeks and made notes of the social behaviour exhibited by them. They also made a note of the levels of loneliness and signs of social interaction difficulties experienced by them. The researchers also consulted with the authors to identify students with severe social skill deficiencies. Three students were selected on the basis of their behaviour deficiencies. Student-I complained of having no friends. His behaviour in the playground showed him displaying violent behaviour with his peers. Such behaviour was often displayed as a means to get the ball but more as a means to vent his frustration or anger at another student. Student-II was a shy child who lacked eye contract and social etiquette such as social greeting. Student-III displayed signs of non-co operation and cried often to get others to play a game of his choice. This student did not talk much and talked of not wanting to attend school. The parents of the subjects were given forms seeking permission for allowing their sons and daughters to be used as subjects in the project and for publication of the data obtained by such a study. Along with this letter was an explanation why their child was chosen to be a subject for the particular study. Moreover the students were also taken into confidence before going ahead with the study. As per the district training these students were placed on the autistic category and were placed in classrooms with students suffering from high degree of autism. The aim of the study was to increase positive social behaviour, which was defined as ”target behaviours”. These behavioural traits included increased eye contact, appropriate voice volume in a social situation, increased and appropriate social greetings, involvement in playground games with appropriate use of hands and feet, accepting responsibility for inappropriate actions and learning to apologise to peers. Since student had his own specific behavioural trait, therefore his individual trait deficiency was noted down so that it could be compared at the end of the six-week comic strip conversation experiment and use it as a marker to identify the level of his improvement. Thus a strategy was designed to the get maximum use of Comic Strip conversations to overcome feelings of social alienation and loneliness. In collaboration with the researchers, the authors modelled a strategy to determine the appropriate time of use and initial implementation. PROCEDURES The study procedures were based on the guidelines published by Glaesar, et al. in 2003. Once the behaviours were defined, the researchers would take the student away from the social situation and ask him/her to take a seat next to a researcher. This will eventually lead the subject to initiate the drawing. The students had to make up their comic strips using board markers and a Personal Symbols dictionary to recreate the social situation they just underwent. In case of negative experience, they were asked to draw locations and people who were a part of that situation. Moreover they were also asked to illustrate their thoughts during that particular situation. Though the researchers assisted the students to gain perspective, students guided the conversation on their own. The researchers helped the students whenever they felt confused or incapable of handling the situation. Once the positive behaviour was highlighted, the comic strip conversations came to an end. The solutions brought out by these strips were referred to throughout the day by researchers in order to reiterate positive behaviour. Students were given a chance to use Comic Strip conversation at specific periods such as after lunch or after a general classroom session whenever positive behaviour needed to be reinforced. In case of a volatile situation, the student would be taken aside and made to illustrate the conversations. But this time, the attempt would be to highlight various aspects with a more positive outcome. RESULTS, CONCLUSIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS After consistently observing the subjects’ social behaviour for six weeks, the researchers saw significant changes in the behaviour patterns of the participants. There was an improvement in social skills in general and also in the specific trait that was considered deficient. Data collected through notes on all three students showed that they displayed visible signs of social satisfaction, less loneliness verbalisations, increased interaction with their peers, and a greater desire to play with their peers in classroom and playground. With reference to the students’ behaviour, data analysis showed that the student I improved by 75%, student II by 50% and student III by 66%. Thus, Comic Strip conversations were successful in helping the participants assess their social behaviour and arrive at solutions for the situation. Moreover it also helped the participants get a better perspective regarding their behaviour. With the help of “comic strips” students could take responsibility for their actions, had better chances of being included in classroom and playground games, improve social forms of behaviour such as greeting peers. All these traits helped them improve relationships and eliminate signs of loneliness. However, there were factors that were crucial to the success of the experiment. These strips were used for six continuous weeks, which helped the students to recognise and accept it as a means of resolving behavioural problems. Also the fact, that the students were willing participants and were well aware that they had to learn specific behaviour and skills to helped them improve, played an important role in their successful implementation as opposed to the possibility that these students were not told about the research. However, the researchers used only these three students as subjects and did not extend it to a large number of students from a variety of education settings. Moreover the study was more of a classroom-based research where the researchers came up with their own means of measuring behaviour and did not test the methods for validity and reliability. Hence, the results cannot be generalised to include students from other classrooms and settings. YOUR OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF THE RESEARCH ARTICLE a. What did you think about this study? Did you like it (or not like it), and why? The study was interesting since it highlighted the solution to a common problem faced by autistic children. The project could be very beneficial for people suffering or even those who have a family member suffering from autism. The research highlights the fact that autistic children can be helped without the intervention of medicines or other medical procedures, which is very reassuring. It is also interesting to note how by drawing different symbols and icons, the autistic person can convey his thoughts and communicate to a normal person, transcending the fact that the two come from different segments. The point made here is that autistic people can make themselves understood despite not sharing the same line of thought and wavelength. Also, the study was useful in identifying a suitable means of two-way communication. This makes it easier for the autistic person to feel comfortable with his feelings and emotions and also conveying them with the other person. Another interesting fact to note is that there is already an easy way to deal with autism in the sanctity of a home with a little attention from a doctor or other medical practitioner. I liked it because this will help families to help their autistic child especially if they cannot send their child to a special school for autism due to financial constraints. Also, it can be of great help for households to continue with the learning of their children because it only needs a marker and a board to draw icons that signifies something and is used as a tool of communication. b. What did you think of the procedures used in this study? Are they clear? The procedures used, in my opinion, were not comprehensive. It lacks a pertinent evidence-gathering procedure that may substantiate the transformation in the social skills of an autistic person. Moreover the researchers had no other corroborative evidence to support their research other than their notes on student observations. Even though the students showed great improvement when it came to dealing with their peers, there should be placed under different circumstances and their ability to interact must be evaluated when they are given the chance to interact with people they are not familiar with. It will be easy for them to adjust to people they know, but they might display different signs of behaviour under “foreign” conditions. For instance, they may exhibit reluctance and signs of withdrawal when they meet someone for the first time. Also, the students should have been moved to other classes so that we may know how well they learned and how they apply what they learnt during the six-week comic strip conversations. On the other hand, the procedures used in this project are very clear. The researchers were able to gather information about the subject and the kind of environment the students came from. With this, the students were already able to adjust to their environment and learn things that were also beneficial for them. Within six weeks of observing student behaviour, the researchers were able to acquire a significant amount of information that is very helpful in determining the kind of treatment that should be used for a child who suffers from autism. The researchers were all able to highlight issues that needed to be addressed in case of autistic children. Even if the participants were such of a young age, it will eventually be beneficial for them to be a part of the study since it will enable them to learn how to interact with other people of their age. c. What did you think about the selection and the involvement of the subjects in this study? The selection and involvement of the subjects were appropriate considering the line of research. Since the subjects were of 6–8 years of age, they are of an age when they should know about social behaviour in order to have their relationships. It also teaches them to communicate with other people even if they are suffering from autism, considered a stigma by many. However, by properly addressing the fact there will be an easier communication between those who suffer autism to those who do not. Since the researchers are trying to find out if the comic strip conversation procedure can help autistic people enhance their social skills, it is just right for them to conduct the study. The age of the subjects, in my opinion, is just right to help them cope with their respective environment, as they are of a growing age. The subjects were all helpful in this particular study. Being the main target of the study, they were able to successfully supply inputs to the researchers and use it to improve their own social behaviour. And also, by subjecting these children to this study, the researchers were able to identify and understand fully what needs to be revised or changed in order to address, for example, the very limited attention span of a child with autism. With that, the researchers could have adjusted the time they allotted and cover the necessary adjustments to improve further their teaching manual. d. What would you do differently in this study? How would conduct this study if you had the chance? Give specific suggestions and steps to take. Given the chance to innovate something in the procedure, I would add that there is a kind of community/environment check required on each participant so as to give a broader perspective for the researchers to conduct the study. The researchers should have taken into account that not all children are capable of performing such tasks due to their environment and should have highlighted the issue in their research. Also, the researchers should have tried to allow the subjects to mingle with other children not of their age, sex, and those who are not suffering from autism to fully assess the subject and the impact of the procedure on their social skills. By doing this, there is a great possibility that the researchers could have seen much from their subjects since they were removed from their comfort zone. Additionally, they should be observed in different circumstances. For instances, they must be allowed to play in the park with other kids and kept under observation to note their behavioural traits such as do they retire to a corner since they do not know the other children or do they exhibit enthusiasm and join other normal children playing in the park. Moreover, involving them in activities that involve a partner or teammate such as soccer will help us know how they will communicate with one another, given they are all subjected to the same teaching method. By asking them to play team sports with normal children, the autistic children will be able to utilise what they have learned from the whole duration of the lesson and the researchers will be able to clearly categorise who have benefited and who has not. Not only will they enjoy the sport, it can also hone their interpersonal skills in handling different situations (how to behave in an appropriate etc.) and improve their reaction to situations that are usually avoided due to their condition. e. How would you use the results of this study to benefit your students, or to improve your teaching? What implications do these results have for you or your students? I could use the study to understand my students and their feelings better. It will be interesting to learn how a person may perceive you and connect with you, despite a language barrier. With that particular study, I can improve my teaching style and adjust more to what the students need from me. It can help me analyse and decide how far I can go to teach my students well and at the end of the day, be proud of myself and my students. Another thing is that, it can also be something that should be the barometer of teaching children with autism. Not only do we need to follow the guidelines strictly, we should also note that there are peculiarities in each individual as highlighted in individual behavioural traits of the autistic subjects in the study. It will definitely improve my teaching since I will learn how to address each others concerns and provide assurance that that they turn out to be well-adjusted and stable individuals in the future. Not only do they need to be properly looked after, there should also be allowed to spend quality time with other children to enable them to learn a thing or two from one another. This study implies that there are certain things that need to be addressed early on since a person suffering from autism will always be lonely and feel that there are no other people who can understand them. f. Was the study successful? Why or why not? Yes, the study was successful. The researchers were able to formulate a new method of addressing the inability of a person who suffers from autism by the mere use of board markers and various icons as a means of communication. However the research also has its limitations. This is because it takes into account only three students and lays its findings on the basis of the observation notes made on them. It should have included more participants in order to enable a more comprehensive study. Also the students picked for research, belonged to the same educational setting and shared similar social deficiencies. It would have been better if more students from other educational settings had been included in the study since this would have expanded the parameters of research as well. Moreover, the methods of measuring the behaviour were not standard ones since they were constructed by the researchers themselves and lacked validity. Hence it would be could not used as a common standard to assess students from various classes. Moreover the procedure used in the study is extensive for it to be used on other subjects such as teenagers, who are suffering from the same mental condition. Of course, those people cannot be dismissed with the justification that they are old enough to know the right social behaviour. The researchers focussed on children and not on adults suffering from autism. They did not take into the account the idea of using the same method to patients in a different age bracket and based their study on children enrolled in a special school. Since the study was well received by the society, especially those who have relatives suffering from autism, the study can be classified as a successful one. Even if the study may be criticised for its shortcomings, the project will go a long way towards helping students suffering from deficiencies caused by autism. However, the method used in the study is indeed an innovative one especially when it comes to working with a child suffering from autism. Further, the study can be considered as a breakthrough in the medical field since, this time, it does not need any medical instrument or medication to treat it. Although it is not the first study to be conducted in the field, it is good to know that attempts are being made and studies are being carried out to help others with such disabilities. REFERENCE: Pierson Melinda R. and Glaeser Barbera C, 2007; Using Comic Strip Conversations to Increase Social Satisfaction and Decrease Loneliness in Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, 2007, 42(4), 460-466 Read More