Using antecedent aerobic exercise to decrease stereotypic behavior in children with autism

93 Pages·2015·1.87 MB·English

Georgia State University
ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University
Educational Psychology, Special Education, and Department of Educational Psychology, Special
Communication Disorders Dissertations Education, and Communication Disorders
1-10-2013
Using antecedent aerobic exercise to decrease
stereotypic behavior in children with autism
Melanie Nicole McGaha Mays
Follow this and additional works at:https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/epse_diss
Recommended Citation
Mays, Melanie Nicole McGaha, "Using antecedent aerobic exercise to decrease stereotypic behavior in children with autism."
Dissertation, Georgia State University, 2013.
https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/epse_diss/91
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ACCEPTANCE
This dissertation, USING ANTECEDENT AEROBIC EXERCISE TO DECREASE
STEREOTYPIC AND SELF-STIMULATORY BEHAVIOR IN CHILDREN WITH
AUTISM, by MELANIE NICOLE MCGAHA MAYS, was prepared under the direction
of the candidate's Dissertation Advisory Committee. It is accepted by the committee
members in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in
the College of Education, Georgia State University.

The Dissertation Advisory Committee and the student’s Department Chair, as
representatives of the faculty, certify that this dissertation has met all standards of the
excellence and scholarship as determined by the faculty. The Dean of the College of
Education concurs.

__________________________ __________________________
L. Juane Heflin, Ph.D. Susan Easterbrooks, Ph.D.
Committee Chair Committee Member

__________________________ __________________________
Paul A. Alberto, Ph.D. Debra Schober-Peterson, Ph.D.
Committee Member Committee Member

__________________________
Date

__________________________
Laura Fredrick, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education

__________________________
Paul A. Alberto, Ph.D.
Interim Dean
College of Education
AUTHOR’S STATEMENT

By presenting this dissertation as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
advanced degree from Georgia State University, I agree that the library of Georgia State
University shall make it available for inspection and circulation in accordance with its
regulations governing materials of this type. I agree that permission to quote, to copy
from, or to publish this dissertation may be granted by the professor under whose
direction it was written, by the College of Education’s director of graduate studies and
research, or by me. Such quoting, copying or publishing must be solely for scholarly
purposes and will not involve potential financial gain. It is understood that any copying
from or publication of this dissertation which involves potential financial gain will not be
allowed without my written permission.

Melanie Nicole McGaha Mays
NOTICE TO BORROWERS

All dissertations deposited in the Georgia State University library must be used in
accordance with the stipulations prescribed by the author in the preceding statement. The
author of this dissertation is:

Melanie Nicole McGaha Mays
1409 Shiloh Oak Drive

Loganville, GA 30052

The director of this dissertation is:

Dr. L. Juane Heflin
Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education
College of Education
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA 30303-3979
CURRICULUM VITAE

Melanie Nicole McGaha Mays

ADDRESS 1409 Shiloh Oak Drive
Loganville, GA 30052

EDUCATION

Ph.D. Georgia State University
Education of Students with Exceptionalities
(Concentration: Autism and Communication)

MAT Piedmont College
EBD, SED and Autism

B.S. North Georgia College and State University
Music

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2002-Present Teacher, Self-Contained Classroom for Students with Moderate to
Severe Intellectual Disabilities, Barrow County School System,
Winder, GA

REFEREED PUBLICATIONS

Green, K. B., Mays, N. M., & Jolivette, K. (2011). Making choices: A proactive way to
improve behaviors for young children with challenging behaviors. Beyond
Behavior, 20, 25-31.
Mays, N. M., Beal-Alvarez, J., & Jolivette, K. (2011). Using movement-based sensory
interventions to address self-stimulatory behaviors in students with autism.
TEACHING Exceptional Children, 43, 46-52.
Mays, N. M., & Heflin, L. J. (2011). Increasing independence in self care tasks for
children with autism using self-operated auditory prompts. Research in Autism
Spectrum Disorders, 5, 1351-1357.
Waller, R. J., & Mays, N. M. (2007). Spontaneous recovery of previously extinguished
behavior as an alternative explanation for extinction-related side effects. Behavior
Modification, 3, 569-572.
INTERNATIONAL PRESENTATIONS

"Increasing Independence in Self-Care Tasks Using Self Operated Auditory Prompts"
(with J. L. Heflin), Poster Session at the Council for Children with Behavior
Disorders International Conference, Denver, CO, September 2009

STATE/REGIONAL PRESENTATIONS

"Choice Making as a Secondary Tiered Intervention in Preschool and Early Childhood
Classrooms" (with K. B. Green), Presented at the Georgia Association for
Positive Behavior Support Conference, December 2011
“Functional communication”. Presented at the Emory Autism Center conference: Helping
Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders Succeed At School, Atlanta ,GA., July
2005.
“Functional communication and visual strategies”. Presented at the Emory Autism
Center, Piedmont College and North GLRS conference: Educating Students with
Autism and Aspergers Syndrome, Demorest ,GA, July 2005
“Positive Behavior Interventions”. Presented at the Emory Autism Center, Piedmont
College and North GLRS conference: Educating Students with Autism and
Aspergers Syndrome, Demorest ,GA, July 2004

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONS

2012 - present Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
2005 - present Autism Society of America
2005 - present Council for Exceptional Children
2006 - present Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (CEC)
2007 - present Division for Early Childhood (CEC)
2007 - present Division for Research (CEC)
2007 - present Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (CEC)
2006 - present National Association of Special Education Teachers
2007 - present Teacher Education Division (CEC)
ABSTRACT
USING ANTECEDENT AEROBIC EXERCISE TO DECREASE STEREOTYPIC AND
SELF-STIMULATORY BEHAVIOR IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM
by
Melanie Nicole McGaha Mays

Stereotypy is one of the defining characteristics of autism spectrum disorders
(ASD) and can significantly interfere with an individual's development and acquisition of
knowledge and skills as well as distract from and disrupt educational environments.
Numerous behavioral interventions have been implemented by researchers in an attempt
to reduce or eliminate such behaviors, including antecedent aerobic exercise. Research
studies conducted on using antecedent aerobic exercise as an effective intervention to
decrease stereotypy have been spread out over several years, and many of the studies are
methodologically weak according to today's standards and guidelines for evidence-based
practices. This study was conducted to replicate and extend previous research by
examining the effect of aerobic exercise in the form of vigorous jogging for 10
consecutive minutes on the percentage of time two elementary-school-aged children with
autism engaged in stereotypic behaviors during instructional activities in the morning
(immediately following the aerobic exercise), with a secondary analysis evaluating
potential residual effects later in the school day. A six-phase reversal (ABABAB) design
was used to determine the presence of a functional relation between jogging and
stereotypy. Upon visual analysis of graphed data, functional relations were apparent for
both participants. Allison spent 12% less time engaging in stereotypic behavior
immediately following the jogging sessions as compared to baseline, and Boyd’s
stereotypic behavior decreased by 10.7% overall. There was no significant carryover
effect to the instructional sessions two hours after the intervention. Measures of social
validity confirmed that the intervention was easy to implement and perceived as
beneficial. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
USING ANTECEDENT AEROBIC EXERCISE TO DECREASE STEREOTYPIC AND
SELF-STIMULATORY BEHAVIOR IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM
by
Melanie Nicole McGaha Mays

A Dissertation

Presented in Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for the
Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
in
Education of Students with Exceptionalities
in
the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education
in
the College of Education
Georgia State University

Atlanta, GA
2013
Copyright by
Melanie Nicole McGaha Mays
2013