Search

One of the characteristics of individuals on the autism spectrum is the restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviors, interests, or activities which have been considered the result of a direct deficit in self-regulation skills. Peer-mediated intervention (PMI) is one of the ways to support young children on the autism spectrum for following school routines independently. PMI is an evidence-based practice based on behavioral principles to train typical peers to help with students on the autism spectrum. By using PMI, students on the autism spectrum can have more interaction opportunities with typical peers. Students on the autism spectrum can become less dependent on adult support to complete the expectations independently or with peers' support. The aim of this study is to use PMI to support students with autism and ADHD aged 7–8 in a regular classroom to complete the behavioral expectations in Taiwan. This study used a multiple probe design across three participants to determine the effects of the intervention. The researchers trained seven typically developing peers on how to prompt and reinforce the target children. This study took both peers and target children's data. The data shows a positive result for target children to follow the expectations independently and most peer models can prompt and reinforce the target children after being trained. Our study has extended the effectiveness and usage of PMI in teaching behavioral expectations in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the associations among supportive parenting, function-oriented appraisal of peer conflict, and peer conflict resolution (i.e., compatibility, compromise, self-sacrifice, utility, and escape). It was hypothesized that adolescents' function-oriented appraisal of peer conflict mediates the relationship between their perceived supportive parenting and their tendency to adopt different resolution strategies in peer conflict. Chinese adolescents aged 15 to 18 years were recruited from Taiwan as participants, and 498 valid responses were obtained. By utilizing structural equation modeling, the present study found the following results: (1) perceived supportive parenting was positively associated with adolescents' tendency to adopt the compatibility and compromise resolution strategies but negatively associated with their tendency to adopt the escape resolution strategy; (2) perceived supportive parenting was positively associated with adolescents' function-oriented appraisal of peer conflict, which was positively related to their tendency to adopt the compatibility, compromise, and self-sacrifice resolution strategies but negatively related to their tendency to adopt the escape resolution strategy; and (3) the mediating role of adolescents' function-oriented appraisal of peer conflict in the relationship between their perceived supportive parenting and their tendency to adopt different peer conflict resolution strategies was significant. We discuss the implications and limitations of these findings. Highlights: Chinese adolescents' perceived supportive parenting was related to their appraisals and resolutions of peer conflicts. Chinese adolescents' perceived supportive parenting was positively related to their function-oriented appraisal of peer conflict. Chinese adolescents' function-oriented appraisal of peer conflict was positively associated with their tendency to adopt compatibility, compromise, and self-sacrifice resolution strategies but negatively associated with their tendency to adopt the escape resolution strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]