Abstract
This study evaluated the utility of the cool versus not cool procedure for teaching three structured indoor games to eight children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study took place as part of a social skills group for individuals diagnosed with ASD, and this study was one component of that group. The cool versus not cool procedure consisted of the teacher demonstrating each game the cool (i.e., appropriate) and not cool (i.e., inappropriate) way and having the participants provide a rationale as to why the demonstration was either cool or not cool. This was followed by giving the participants the opportunity to role-play the game in front of the group. The teachers utilized unprompted performance probes with no programmed reinforcement to create opportunities for the participants to display the targeted behavior (s). A multiple baseline design across behaviors and replicated across participants was utilized. The results indicated that seven of the eight participants mastered each of the games taught.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association.
Baer, D. M., Wolf, M. M., & Risley, T. R. (1968). Some current dimensions of applied behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1(1), 91–97.
Baer, D. M., Wolf, M. M., & Risley, T. R. (1987). Some still-current dimensions of applied behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 20(4), 313–327.
Blum-Dimaya, A., Reeve, S. A., Reeve, K. F., & Hoch, H. (2010). Teaching children with autism to play a video game using activity schedules and game embedded simultaneous video modeling. Education and Treatment of Children, 33, 351–370.
Bodrova, E., & Leong, D. J. (1996). Tools of the mind The vygostikain approach to early childhood education. New Jersey: Prentice-Hill.
Brodhead, M. T., Higbee, T. S., Pollard, J. S., Akers, J. S., & Gerencser, K. R. (2014). The use of linked activity schedules to teach children with autism to play hide-and-seek. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 47, 645–650.
Charlop, M. H., & Milstein, J. P. (1989). Teaching autistic children conversational speech using video modeling. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 22, 275–285.
Frost, J., Wortham, S., & Reifel, S. (2001). Play in child development. Columbus: Prentice Hall-Merrill.
Gray, C. A., & Garand, J. D. (1993). Social stories: improving responses of students with autism with accurate social information. Focus on Autistic Behavior, 8, 1–10.
Horner, R. H., Carr, E. G., Halle, J., McGee, G., Odom, S., & Wolery, M. (2005). The use of single-subject research to identify evidence-based practice in special education. Exceptional Children, 71, 165–179.
Leaf, R., & McEachin, J. (1999). A work in progress. New York: Different Roads to Learning, INC.
Leaf, J. B., Dotson, W. H., Oppenheim-Leaf, M. L., Sherman, J. A., & Sherman, J. A. (2012a). A programmatic description of a social skills group for young children with autism. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 32, 111–121.
Leaf, J. B., Tsuji, K. H., Griggs, B., Edwards, A., Taubman, M., McEachin, J., Leaf, R., & Oppenheim-Leaf, M. L. (2012b). Teaching social skills to children with autism using the cool versus not cool procedure. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 47, 165–175.
Leaf, J. B., Townley-Cochran, D., Taubman, M., Cihon, J. H., Oppenheim-Leaf, M. L., Kassardjian, A., et al. (2015a). The teaching interaction procedure and behavioral skills training for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder: a review and commentary. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 1–12.
Leaf, J. B., Oppenheim-Leaf, M. L., Leaf, R. B., Taubman, M., McEachin, J., Parker, T., Waks, A. B., & Mountjoy, T. (2015b). What is the proof? A methodological review of studies that have utilized social stories. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 50, 127–141.
Leaf, J. B., Kassardjian, A., Oppenheim-Leaf, M. L., Cihon, J. H., Taubman M., Leaf, R., & McEachin, J. (2016a). Social thinking®: science, pseudoscience, or antiscience? Behavior Analysis in Practice. Advance online publication. doi:10.1007/s40617-016-0108-1.
Leaf, J. B., Taubman, M., Leaf, J., Dale, S., Tsuji, K., Kassardjian, A., Alcalay, A., Miline, C., Mitchell, E., Townley-Cochran, D., Leaf, R., & McEachin, J. (2016b). Teaching social interaction skills using cool versus not cool. Child and Family Behavior Therapy.
Leaf, J. B., Leaf, R., Alacaly, A., Leaf, J. A., Ravid, D., Dale, S., Kuyumjian, A., Tsuji, K., Taubman, M., McEachin, J., Oppenheim-Leaf, M. (2016c). Utility of formal preference assessments for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities.
Leaf, J. B., Leaf, R., McEachin, J., Taubman, M., Ala’i-Rosales, S., Ross, R. K., Smith, T., & Weiss, M. J. (2016d). Applied behavior analysis is a science and, therefore, progressive. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
MacDuff, G. S., Krantz, P. J., & McClannahan, L. E. (1993). Teaching children with autism to use photographic activity schedules: maintenance and generalization of complex response chains. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26, 89–97.
Miltenberger, R. (2011). Behavior modification: Principles and procedures. Cengage Learning.
Moore, R. C., Goltsman, S. M., & Iacofano, D. S. (Eds.). (1992). Play for all guidelines: Planning, designing, and management of outdoor play settings for children (2nd ed.). Berkley: MIG Communications.
Oppenheim-Leaf, M. L., Leaf, J. B., & Call, N. A. (2012). Teaching board games to two children with an autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 24, 347–358.
Paterson, C. R., & Arco, L. (2007). Using video modeling for generalizing toy play in children with autism. Behavior Modification, 31, 660–681.
Phillips, E. L., Phillips, E. A., Fixsen, D. L., & Wolf, M. M. (1974). The teaching-family handbook. Lawrence: University of Kansas Printing Service.
Soluaga, D., Leaf, J. B., Taubman, M., McEachin, J., & Leaf, R. (2008). A comparison of flexible prompt fading and constant time delay for five children with autism. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2, 753–765.
Winner, M. G. (2008). A politically incorrect look at evidence-based practices and teaching social skills: A literature review and discussion. San Jose: Think Social Publishing, Inc.
Acknowledgments
We want to thank Norma Torres, Cliff Anderson, Andi Waks, Michel Jessner, Shelli Infield, Julie Stiglitch, Marc Maroney, and Alyne Kassardjian for their help on this project. This project was partially funded from a grant received in 2014 from the Organization for Autism Research. Additionally, some of the authors have media for profit on the cool versus not cool procedure.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
This study was partially funded by the Organization for Autism Research. All authors received funding to conduct the study. The seventh, eighth, and ninth author have commercial products (i.e., curriculum books and DVDs) for the procedures implemented and curriculum utilized. All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from the parents of all individual participants included in the study. Formal assent was also obtained from all individual participants.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Leaf, J.A., Leaf, J.B., Milne, C. et al. The Effects of the Cool Versus Not Cool Procedure to Teach Social Game Play to Individuals Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Behav Analysis Practice 9, 34–49 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-016-0112-5
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-016-0112-5