Examining the Impact of Standardized Fine Motor Activity Selection on Various Fine Motor Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Abstract
Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) demonstrate deficits in fine
motor skills, requiring therapies to help improve their performance of a variety of
self-care, daily living, and academic skills. Research in the occupational therapy
literature suggests several methods of assessing and teaching fine motor skills and
represents an area that is understudied in the applied behavior analysis research.
The two disciplines may offer a complementary approach to targeting emerging
skills, shaping desired responses in naturalistic contexts, and reinforcing
participation. This study aimed to examine the impact of occupational therapy-recommended activities on fine motor skills by blending the occupational therapy
perspective of targeting skill development with the applied behavior analysis
perspective of utilizing naturalistic environmental teaching. Researchers required
children with ASD to complete activities targeting specific fine motor skill areas
based on assessment results, based on recommendations of an occupational
therapist. In the end, two out of three participants experienced improvement in fine
motor skills in contrived and naturalistic contexts, as assessed by behavioral
observation and standardized assessments.