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Title: Game-based Strategies Implementation During Social Skills Training for Non-Elementary Aged Individuals.
Creator: Fenaughty, Joan, Hopp, Carolyn, Little, Mary, Vitale, Thomas, Hayes, Grant, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: ABSTRACT The problem of practice that has been identified is the lack of games as a social skills tool. Individuals with Autism may face many daily challenges. One of the known deficits for this population is their challenges related to social skills. One way to provide social skills instruction is through game-based strategies. When thinking about play it is not uncommon to automatically envision young children, but the inclusion of game-based play during social skills instruction can be...
Show moreABSTRACT The problem of practice that has been identified is the lack of games as a social skills tool. Individuals with Autism may face many daily challenges. One of the known deficits for this population is their challenges related to social skills. One way to provide social skills instruction is through game-based strategies. When thinking about play it is not uncommon to automatically envision young children, but the inclusion of game-based play during social skills instruction can be appropriate for all age groups. As children age interventions tend to move away from the inclusion of play. In order to teach social skills the individuals must first be willing to come together as a group and interact with each other. One way to bring resistant individuals together is through play. During the pilot study of social skills training, for middle school aged students with high functioning autism, it was discovered that the inclusion of playing board games became a positive and productive way to bring resistant individuals together for the purpose of social skills training. With the inclusion of game playing as part of the social skills pilot study the results were positive interactions between individuals who initially avoided any interactions, other than negative ones, with each other. The model will be implemented with individuals who have autism and may also have other disabilities who are functioning at a much lower cognitive level. The goals of the pilot program are to increase social interactions and to improve social skills through the inclusion of play during social skills instruction. Social skills instruction requires individuals to be engaged; the inclusion of play is a natural non-threatening way to promote cooperative social interactions as a precursor to social skills instruction.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005330, ucf:50536
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005330

Title: Examining the Social Interactions of Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders in a Virtual Environment.
Creator: Gallup, Jennifer, Little, Mary, Dieker, Lisa, Butler, Malcolm, Pearl, Cynthia, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This phenomenological study examined the social interactions during online game play in a virtual environment for five young adults with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who attended a large metropolitan university, enrolled in the first 60 credits of a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) field of study. Given the evolution of technology and opportunities to socialize in virtual communities, it is becoming increasingly important to understand how young adults with ASD...
Show moreThis phenomenological study examined the social interactions during online game play in a virtual environment for five young adults with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who attended a large metropolitan university, enrolled in the first 60 credits of a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) field of study. Given the evolution of technology and opportunities to socialize in virtual communities, it is becoming increasingly important to understand how young adults with ASD assimilate into new social opportunities that provide supports for extraneous variables such as face-to-face situations. As research begins to emerge on virtual environments there is little research addressed specific to socialization and the development of interpersonal relationships. Further, there is a distinct lack of research specific to young adults with ASD who engage socially in virtual environments. A phenomenological research method was used to explain the social activities as they occurred for this specific group of individuals. Structured and unstructured interviews, observations, document analysis, and a self-reporting survey were conducted and collected. Analysis used emergent coding following Moustakas' modified Van Kaam method (1994). Common themes were identified and reported through lists and tables. In summary, this study described how young adults with ASD socialized within a virtual community. This study provided findings that individuals with ASD actively seek friendships, recognize emotions, understand roles within the game and real life use skills necessary for success in postsecondary education and STEM related careers, and lays the foundation for continuing research using virtual environments to support interpersonal relationships that may support greater postsecondary outcomes.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005796, ucf:50024
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005796

Title: ELUCIDATING THE SOCIAL SKILLS DEFICITS IN CHILDREN WITH ASPERGER'S DISORDER: A COMPARATIVE STUDY.
Creator: Scharfstein, Lindsay, Beidel, Deborah, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Children with Asperger's Disorder are considered to have impairments in social interaction, but to date few studies have empirically addressed this issue. This study examined the existence of social skills deficits in children with Asperger's Disorder, children with social phobia, and children with no psychological disorder. Using direct observation of social skills during role-play tasks, blinded observers rated an overall impression of social effectiveness and three specific...
Show moreChildren with Asperger's Disorder are considered to have impairments in social interaction, but to date few studies have empirically addressed this issue. This study examined the existence of social skills deficits in children with Asperger's Disorder, children with social phobia, and children with no psychological disorder. Using direct observation of social skills during role-play tasks, blinded observers rated an overall impression of social effectiveness and three specific categories of social skill: pragmatic behavior (e.g., effort to maintain conversation, latency to respond), speech and prosodic behavior (e.g., vocal inflection, voice volume), and paralinguistic conversational behaviors (e.g., facial orientation, motor movement). Children with Asperger's Disorder did not display predicted social skills deficits when compared to typically developing children. When compared to children with social phobia, children with Asperger's Disorder were rated as significantly more socially effective and were rated as more skilled on the molecular conversational behaviors that create an overall impression of social effectiveness. These results suggest that children with Asperger's Disorder display adequate social skill during brief social interactions. Furthermore, the social skills deficits present in children with social phobia are not the same deficits found in children with Asperger's Disorder. Implications of the findings are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: CFE0002886, ucf:48036
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002886

Title: WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT INTERPERSONAL SKILLS? A META-ANALYTIC EXAMINATION OF ANTECEDENTS, OUTCOMES, AND THE EFFICACY OF TRAINING.
Creator: Klein, Cameron, Salas, Eduardo, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Despite extensive statements about the importance of possessing good interpersonal skills, little quantitative evidence has been brought forth to investigate these claims. At the same time, training in soft, or interpersonal, skills continues for organizational managers, customer service representatives, and members of formal work teams. Based on these considerations, the current research was guided by five broad questions. First, are gender and the Big Five personality variables important...
Show moreDespite extensive statements about the importance of possessing good interpersonal skills, little quantitative evidence has been brought forth to investigate these claims. At the same time, training in soft, or interpersonal, skills continues for organizational managers, customer service representatives, and members of formal work teams. Based on these considerations, the current research was guided by five broad questions. First, are gender and the Big Five personality variables important predictors in the use and effectiveness of interpersonal skills? Second, what is the relationship between various interpersonal skills and important personal and workplace outcomes? Third, given that training in interpersonal skills is prevalent in organizations today, does this training work? Further, and perhaps more importantly, under what conditions do these training interventions result in optimal outcomes? Lastly, does job complexity moderate the relationship between interpersonal skills and outcomes? To answer these questions, a series of meta-analytic investigations was conducted. The results of these analyses provided evidence for the existence of meaningful antecedents of interpersonal skills. In addition, relationships between interpersonal skills and outcomes were identified, with hypotheses in this area confirmed. The results of this research demonstrate the beneficial impact of interpersonal skills training for improving interpersonal skills. Finally, in line with predictions, job complexity was identified as a moderator of the relationship between interpersonal skills and outcomes. The current document concludes with recommendations both for researchers interested in furthering the science of interpersonal skills research, and for practitioners charged with improving the interpersonal skills of their workforce.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: CFE0002642, ucf:48221
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002642

Title: SOCIAL COMPETENCE OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ENROLLED IN ONLINE PHYSICAL EDUCATION COURSES.
Creator: Ware, Deborah, Higginbotham, Patricia, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this study was to assess the social competence of high school students enrolled in online Physical Education courses. Additionally, the demographic information regarding students who enroll in online Physical Education courses was examined. The subjects for this study included sixty students taking one of two Physical Education courses at the Florida Virtual School during the spring 2005 term. The entire curriculum of the Florida Virtual School is presented online and students...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to assess the social competence of high school students enrolled in online Physical Education courses. Additionally, the demographic information regarding students who enroll in online Physical Education courses was examined. The subjects for this study included sixty students taking one of two Physical Education courses at the Florida Virtual School during the spring 2005 term. The entire curriculum of the Florida Virtual School is presented online and students live throughout the entire state of Florida. Therefore, the entire study was administered online. The assessment instrument used was the Teenage Inventory of Social Skills created by Heidi Inderbitzen. The Teenage Inventory of Social Skills is a 40-item self-report questionnaire consisting of statements rated on a 6-point continuum. The instrument was divided into two sub-scales; a positive scale and a negative scale. A One-Sample T-Test was used to compare the mean sample scores with the standard means. Frequencies were run to review demographic information. Results indicated that there was no significant mean difference found between the students enrolled in online Physical Education courses and the mean of students established by the TISS. The majority of respondents were female, Caucasian, and were attending public or private schools for most of their classes.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: CFE0000624, ucf:46532
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000624

Title: Implementing Gameplay Skills to Increase Eye Contact and Communication for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorder and Comorbid Disabilities.
Creator: Wills-Jackson, Celestial, Hines, Rebecca, Dieker, Lisa, Lue, Martha, Wilkins, Ilene, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of gameplay activities using a structured social skills program to increase both eye contact responses and the number of verbal responses during peer relationships for students with comorbid disabilities in a clinical setting.This SEL intervention was modified for children with comorbid autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and emotional and behavioral disorder (EBD). A single-subject, multiple-baseline, across-participants design was used....
Show moreThis study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of gameplay activities using a structured social skills program to increase both eye contact responses and the number of verbal responses during peer relationships for students with comorbid disabilities in a clinical setting.This SEL intervention was modified for children with comorbid autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and emotional and behavioral disorder (EBD). A single-subject, multiple-baseline, across-participants design was used. Participants included adolescents (n = 6) with comorbid disabilities, predominantly ASD and EBD, their board-certified behavior analysts (BCBA), and six behavior technicians. The researcher established and maintained face-to-face reciprocal peer social engagements (communication) and direct eye gaze (contact) with participants in dyad groups. Each session included a 60-minute video of peer social interactions. Direct observations, differential reinforcement of other behaviors (DRO), and pre- and post-Social Skills Improvement System-Rating Scales (SSIS-RS) were examined. Evidence of SEL intervention effectiveness was measured by percentage of nonoverlapping data points (PND). Social validity was measured using the multiple-rater SSIS-RS and intervention fidelity checklists evaluating the Sanford Harmony intervention. Results from data and visual analysis revealed all participants significantly increased their direct eye contact, verbal reciprocity, and social engagements after implementing the Harmony program. In addition, a PND value of 100% was calculated for each dependent variable indicating the Harmony program was a highly effective intervention increasing eye contact, verbal reciprocity, and social engagements for students with EBD and comorbid disabilities.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007266, ucf:52196
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007266

Title: A Phenomenological Study of High School Assistant Principals who Supervise Special Education.
Creator: Vacchio, Erin, Martin, Suzanne, Vasquez, Trey, Jahani, Shiva, Helton, Julie, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of high school assistant principals who lead the Exceptional Student Education (ESE) departments at their respective schools. The role of the school leader is critical and complex. Second to only the classroom teachers, school leaders have the ability to shape the school wide attitude and vision for students with disabilities. Knowing that in the past 30 years, the number of students with disabilities has nearly doubled in size, the...
Show moreThis phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of high school assistant principals who lead the Exceptional Student Education (ESE) departments at their respective schools. The role of the school leader is critical and complex. Second to only the classroom teachers, school leaders have the ability to shape the school wide attitude and vision for students with disabilities. Knowing that in the past 30 years, the number of students with disabilities has nearly doubled in size, the expertise of school leaders in special education must also increase. Research on the experiences of high school administrators who serve students with intellectual disabilities and how their experiences and beliefs shape opportunities for students is limited. In addition, there is limited research regarding the prevalence of students with intellectual disabilities and their participation in vocational education and independent skills instruction to support independent functioning and future employment. This study used a phenomenological approach to examine the experiences and beliefs of high school assistant principals who supervise the ESE department at their school. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven participants (N=7). Through thematic analysis, six major themes and 21 subthemes emerged. The six major themes were: (a) compliance of special education; (b) administrators' role in faculty/staff supervision; (c) inclusion of students with disabilities in opportunities with their non-disabled peers; (d) lack of leadership preparation; (e) meeting student needs; (f) preparing students for life after school. This study concluded with a thorough examination of each of the major themes and subthemes, and provided implications for leadership development, induction programs for special education leaders, and best practices for serving students with intellectual disabilities.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007739, ucf:52452
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007739

Title: THE IMPACT OF VIDEO MODELING AND PEER MENTORING OF SOCIAL SKILLS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS IN INCLUSIVE SETTINGS.
Creator: Ogilvie, Christine, Dieker, Lisa, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Given the behavioral expectations of students by teachers and peers in middle school inclusive classrooms and characteristics inherent to students with ASD, the purpose of this study was to explore the impact of video modeling and peer mentoring of five critical social skills for inclusion on middle school students with ASD. Specifically, the extent to which the combination of video modeling and peer mentoring of five critical social skills would increase the level of demonstration of these...
Show moreGiven the behavioral expectations of students by teachers and peers in middle school inclusive classrooms and characteristics inherent to students with ASD, the purpose of this study was to explore the impact of video modeling and peer mentoring of five critical social skills for inclusion on middle school students with ASD. Specifically, the extent to which the combination of video modeling and peer mentoring of five critical social skills would increase the level of demonstration of these skills in the general education inclusion setting was investigated. Because individuals with ASD exhibit limited social communication skills, those skills necessary especially at the middle school level to understand the "hidden curriculum", social skills instruction has been deemed important (APA, 2004; Smith-Myles & Simpson). The current multiple baseline across subjects study was grounded in the research on video modeling (Bellini & Akullian, 2007) and peer mentoring (Fuchs & Fuchs, 2005; Maheady, Harper, & Mallette, 2001) as methods of providing social skills instruction for middle school students with ASD (Goldstein & McGinnis, 1997; Smith-Myles & Simpson, 2001). The impact of the video models and peer mentors was measured using the level of demonstration of five critical social skills on three middle school aged students with ASD. All three students with ASD were included in at least one general education classroom. The results of this investigation indicated that the combination of video modeling and peer mentoring of critical social skills positively impacted the levels of demonstration of the skills of students with ASD. While results varied, all three students with ASD increased their levels of demonstration of the targeted critical social skills.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002306, ucf:47845
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002306

Title: THE EFFECT OF VIDEO MODELING AND SOCIAL SKILL INSTRUCTIONON ON THE SOCIAL SKILLS OF ADOLESCENTS WITH HIGH FUNCTIONING AUTISM AND ASPERGERS SYNDROME: IS THE INCORPERATION OF YOUTUBE VIDEOS EFFECTIVE?.
Creator: Blake, Bruce, Martin, Suzanne, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: ABSTRACT Research conducted on video modeling has shown that these strategies are most effective when they include specific strategies to address conversation skills. Social skills research has also shown that teaching social skills to adolescents in group settings may be more effective than presenting them on an individual basis. Adolescents with Aspergers Syndrome (AS) and High functioning Autism (HFA) participated in a12-week Social Skills Training (SST) program. In addition to pre-and...
Show moreABSTRACT Research conducted on video modeling has shown that these strategies are most effective when they include specific strategies to address conversation skills. Social skills research has also shown that teaching social skills to adolescents in group settings may be more effective than presenting them on an individual basis. Adolescents with Aspergers Syndrome (AS) and High functioning Autism (HFA) participated in a12-week Social Skills Training (SST) program. In addition to pre-and post-study measures, conversation skills data were collected before and after the application of the independent variable (video modeling). Follow-up interviews were also conducted with participants, secondary participants, and parents of the primary participants. After a two-week baseline phase, participants attended weekly social skills training and received the treatment of video modeling with videos found on YouTube. This established pre-existing social and conversation skills and enabled the measurement of changes over the course of the 12 week program. After post intervention data were collected, additional data were collected with participants and secondary participants, neuro-typical peers, as a measure of treatment generalization. This study proposed that presenting social skills videos found on YouTube, would be effective in increasing levels of initiation, responses and conversation skills, thereby increasing communication effectiveness and reducing social rejection by peers. Although some gains in conversational skill levels were observed by most participants in the study significant increases in conversation skill levels were not observed in both ASD only group settings or of the ASD neuro-typical mixed group setting.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003393, ucf:48425
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003393

Title: The Impact of Video Modeling Combined with Skillstreaming Teaching Procedures on the Social Interaction Skills of Middle School Aged Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Creator: Kocaoz, Onur, Little, Mary, Dieker, Lisa, Pearl, Cynthia, Wienke, Wilfred, Cerasale, Mark, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of an intervention package that combined Skillstreaming procedures for the development of social skills with the use of video modeling for middle school students identified with ASD. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to determine if the video modeling intervention package has an impact on social skill performance of three middle school-aged students with ASD. A multiple probe design across participants was employed to...
Show moreThis purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of an intervention package that combined Skillstreaming procedures for the development of social skills with the use of video modeling for middle school students identified with ASD. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to determine if the video modeling intervention package has an impact on social skill performance of three middle school-aged students with ASD. A multiple probe design across participants was employed to assess the effects of the video modeling intervention package on two beginning social skills (i.e., initiate greetings and initiate a conversation). The participants were three middle school-aged students with ASD enrolled in a self-contained classroom. The dependent variable was the percentage of correct social skills components performed when greeting the teacher and initiating a conversation within in the first 10 minutes of class each morning. The independent variable was an intervention package that included video modeling and direct instruction for each social skill component with Skillstreaming procedures (i.e., modeling, role playing, feedback). The results of this research indicated that all three students improved their social skills performance following the implementation of the video modeling intervention package. Furthermore, during the maintenance phase, the social skills performance of each student was maintained. Recommendations for further study and for teachers of students with ASD are presented
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005820, ucf:50026
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005820

Title: Psychometric Properties of a Social Skills Assessment Using Virtual Environment.
Creator: Le, Thien-An, Beidel, Deborah, Paulson, Daniel, Bowers, Clint, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Background: Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a marked and persistent fear of social and/or performance situations in which embarrassment or scrutiny from others may occur. In children, this marked and persistent fear must be present in peer settings and is not exclusive to interactions with adults (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). Behaviorally, children with SAD may avoid eye contact and exhibit other behavioral symptoms such as stooped shoulders, nail biting, trembling voice,...
Show moreBackground: Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a marked and persistent fear of social and/or performance situations in which embarrassment or scrutiny from others may occur. In children, this marked and persistent fear must be present in peer settings and is not exclusive to interactions with adults (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). Behaviorally, children with SAD may avoid eye contact and exhibit other behavioral symptoms such as stooped shoulders, nail biting, trembling voice, avoidance of social and performance situations, muffled voice, longer speech latency, inappropriate tone or low voice volume, and lack of spontaneous speech (Beidel (&) Turner, 2007; Ollendick, Benoit, (&) Grills-Taquechel, 2014; Spence, Donovan, (&) Brechman-Toussaint, 1999). Currently, there are several methods of assessing symptom severity of SAD, such as structured and semi-structured interviews supplemented by self- and parent-report forms, as well as behavioral assessment of social skills, such as RPTs. However, RPTs inherently present with feasibility concerns as there are several obstacles for its implementation. Thus, the current study will examine the psychometric properties of a VE based social skills assessment as it compares to the traditional RPT. Methods: Participants were 46 children, ages 7 to 14, who underwent two assessment conditions: RPT and VE BAT. Participants were assessed prior to the assessment conditions using the ADIS-C/P and completed several self- and parent-report forms. Participants reported self-ratings of anxiety and acceptability, while blinded observers rated social skills and overall social anxiety. Results: A paired-samples t-test revealed (a) no significant difference in acceptability between the two tasks (t(36) = .209, p (>) .05); (b) the VE BAT elicited somewhat less anxiety and somewhat more skilled social behavior than a comparable and traditional RPT; (c) the VE BAT demonstrated moderate concurrent validity with the SPAI-C (r = .422, p = .004); (d) behaviors were rated as consistent across assessment tasks for speech latency ( r = .367, p = .016), overall effectiveness ( r = .541, p = .000), overall social anxiety (r = .638, p = .000), and SAM ratings (r = .730, p = .000) and; (e) VE BAT was more feasible to implement than the RPT in terms of personnel time (t(45) = 12.87, p = .00, d = 2.69) and costs (t(45) = 12.88, p = .00, d = 1.83). Conclusion: The current study addresses many of the discussed limitations of conducting RPTs and, overall, supports the utilization of VE BATS as a viable alternative to behaviorally assessing social skills in children. Overall, the current study demonstrates acceptability, validity, and feasibility of implementing such a novel method, where a formal RPT is not possible. Further implications for the current study include that VEs have potential in the armamentarium for social skills training with children with SAD.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006134, ucf:51178
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006134

Title: Social Skills and Social Acceptance in Childhood Anxiety Disorders.
Creator: Scharfstein, Lindsay, Beidel, Deborah, Rapport, Mark, Sims, Valerie, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The present study examined the social skills and social acceptance of children with SAD (n=20), children with GAD (n=18), and typically developing (TD) children (n=20). A multimodal assessment paradigm was employed to address three study objectives: (a) to determine whether social skills deficits are unique to children with SAD or extend to children with GAD, (b) to assess whether skills vary as a function of social context (in vivo peer interaction Wii Task versus hypothetical Social...
Show moreThe present study examined the social skills and social acceptance of children with SAD (n=20), children with GAD (n=18), and typically developing (TD) children (n=20). A multimodal assessment paradigm was employed to address three study objectives: (a) to determine whether social skills deficits are unique to children with SAD or extend to children with GAD, (b) to assess whether skills vary as a function of social context (in vivo peer interaction Wii Task versus hypothetical Social Vignette Task) and (c) to examine the relationship between anxiety diagnosis and social acceptance. Parent questionnaire data indicated that both youth with SAD and GAD experienced difficulties with assertiveness, whereas children with SAD experienced a broader range of social skills difficulties. Blinded observers' ratings during the behavioral assessment social tasks indicated that compared to children with GAD and TD children, children with SAD have deficits in social behaviors and social knowledge across settings, including speech latency, a paucity of speech, few spontaneous comments, questions and exclamations, and ineffective social responses. In addition, vocal analysis revealed that children with SAD were characterized by anxious speech patterns. By comparison, children with GAD exhibited non-anxious speech patterns and did not differ significantly from TD youth on social behaviors, with the exception of fewer spontaneous comments and questions. Lastly, children with SAD were perceived as less likeable and less socially desirable by their peers than both children with GAD and TD children. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004932, ucf:49631
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004932

Title: Psychopathology and Functional Impairment in Adolescents with Social Anxiety Disorder.
Creator: Mesa, Franklin, Beidel, Deborah, Cassisi, Jeffrey, Neer, Sandra, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Although social anxiety disorder is most often diagnosed during adolescence, few investigations have examined the clinical presentation of this disorder exclusively in adolescents. Prior studies have demonstrated that some clinical features of SAD in adolescents are unique relative to younger children with the condition. Furthermore, the extant literature on daily functional impairment in this population is limited. In this investigation, multiple areas of functioning were examined in...
Show moreAlthough social anxiety disorder is most often diagnosed during adolescence, few investigations have examined the clinical presentation of this disorder exclusively in adolescents. Prior studies have demonstrated that some clinical features of SAD in adolescents are unique relative to younger children with the condition. Furthermore, the extant literature on daily functional impairment in this population is limited. In this investigation, multiple areas of functioning were examined in adolescents with SAD (n = 16) and normal control adolescents (n = 14): specific social skills, subjective distress and physiological reactivity during one speech performance task and one social interaction task; alcohol use and expectancies; subjective and objective quality of sleep; and daily distressing social activities. No differences were observed in sleep actigraphy, self-reported sleep difficulties, alcohol use, or alcohol expectancies. Adolescents with SAD reported greater distress during both analogue tasks relative to NC adolescents. During the speech task, adolescents with SAD exhibited significantly greater speech latency (4.42 seconds vs. 1.75 seconds) and spoke significantly less (83.09 seconds vs. 167.75 seconds) than NC adolescents. Additionally, SAD participants manifested greater skin conductance during the speech task. During the social interaction, adolescents with SAD asked significantly fewer questions (2.20 vs. 7.07) and required significantly more confederate prompts (2.33 vs. 1.14) to stimulate interaction. Finally, adolescents with SAD reported more frequent anxiety-provoking situations in their daily lives and greater avoidance of these situations, including answering questions in class, assertive communication, and interacting with a group. The findings are discussed with respect to the current understanding of alcohol use, quality of sleep, and social functioning in adolescents with SAD.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0004891, ucf:49648
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004891

Title: Influence of Selected Factors on a Counselor's Attention Level to and Counseling Performance with a Virtual Human in a Virtual Counseling Session.
Creator: Hart, John, Proctor, Michael, Jentsch, Florian, Li, Daoji, Morie, Jacquelyn, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Virtual humans serve as role-players in social skills training environments simulating situational face-to-face conversations. Previous research indicates that virtual humans in instructional roles can increase a learner's engagement and motivation towards the training. Left unaddressed is if the learner is looking at the virtual human as one would in a human-to-human, face-to-face interaction. Using a modified version of the Emergent Leader Immersive Training Environment (ELITE-Lite), this...
Show moreVirtual humans serve as role-players in social skills training environments simulating situational face-to-face conversations. Previous research indicates that virtual humans in instructional roles can increase a learner's engagement and motivation towards the training. Left unaddressed is if the learner is looking at the virtual human as one would in a human-to-human, face-to-face interaction. Using a modified version of the Emergent Leader Immersive Training Environment (ELITE-Lite), this study tracks visual attention and other behavior of 120 counselor trainees counseling a virtual human role-playing counselee. Specific study elements include: (1) the counselor's level of visual attention toward the virtual counselee; (2) how changes to the counselor's viewpoint may influence the counselor's visual focus; and (3) how levels of the virtual human's behavior may influence the counselor's visual focus. Secondary considerations include aspects of learner performance, acceptance of the virtual human, and impacts of age and rank. Result highlights indicate that counselor visual attentional behavior could be separated into two phases: when the virtual human was speaking and when not speaking. When the virtual human is speaking, the counselor's primary visual attention is on the counselee, but is also split toward pre-scripted responses required for the training session. During the non-speaking phase, the counselor's visual focus was on pre-scripted responses required for training. Some of the other findings included that participants did not consider this to be like a conversation with a human, but they indicated acceptance of the virtual human as a partner with the training environment and they considered the simulation to be a useful experience. Additionally, the research indicates behavior may differ due to age or rank. Future study and design considerations for enhancements to social skills training environments are provided.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007571, ucf:52572
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007571

Title: Gesture Assessment of Teachers in an Immersive Rehearsal Environment.
Creator: Barmaki, Roghayeh, Hughes, Charles, Foroosh, Hassan, Sukthankar, Gita, Dieker, Lisa, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Interactive training environments typically include feedback mechanisms designed to help trainees improve their performance through either guided- or self-reflection. When the training system deals with human-to-human communications, as one would find in a teacher, counselor, enterprise culture or cross-cultural trainer, such feedback needs to focus on all aspects of human communication. This means that, in addition to verbal communication, nonverbal messages must be captured and analyzed for...
Show moreInteractive training environments typically include feedback mechanisms designed to help trainees improve their performance through either guided- or self-reflection. When the training system deals with human-to-human communications, as one would find in a teacher, counselor, enterprise culture or cross-cultural trainer, such feedback needs to focus on all aspects of human communication. This means that, in addition to verbal communication, nonverbal messages must be captured and analyzed for semantic meaning.?The goal of this dissertation is to employ machine-learning algorithms that semi-automate and, where supported, automate event tagging in training systems developed to improve human-to-human interaction. The specific context in which we prototype and validate these models is the TeachLivE teacher rehearsal environment developed at the University of Central Florida. The choice of this environment was governed by its availability, large user population, ?extensibility and existing reflection tools found within the AMITIES ??framework underlying the TeachLivE system.?Our contribution includes accuracy improvement of the existing data-driven gesture recognition utility from Microsoft; called Visual Gesture Builder. Using this proposed methodology and tracking sensors, we created a gesture database and used it for the implementation of our proposed online gesture recognition and feedback application. We also investigated multiple methods of feedback provision, including visual and haptics. The results from the conducted user studies indicate the positive impact of the proposed feedback applications and informed body language in teaching competency.In this dissertation, we describe the context in which the algorithms have been developed, the importance of recognizing nonverbal communication in this context, the means of providing semi- and fully-automated feedback associated with nonverbal messaging, and a series of preliminary studies developed to inform the research. Furthermore, we outline future research directions on new case studies, and multimodal annotation and analysis, in order to understand the synchrony of acoustic features and gestures in teaching context.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006260, ucf:51053
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006260

Title: The Design and Evaluation of a Video Game to Help Train Perspective-Taking and Empathy in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Creator: Hughes, Darin, Vasquez, Eleazar, Kincaid, John, Marino, Matthew, Lindgren, Robb, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This paper discusses the design, implementation, and evaluation of a serious game intended to reinforce applied behavior analysis (ABA) techniques used with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by providing a low cost and easily accessible supplement to traditional methods. Past and recent research strongly supports the use of computer assisted instruction in the education of individuals with ASD (Moore (&) Calvert, 2000; Noor, Shahbodin, (&) Pee, 2012). Computer games have been shown...
Show moreThis paper discusses the design, implementation, and evaluation of a serious game intended to reinforce applied behavior analysis (ABA) techniques used with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by providing a low cost and easily accessible supplement to traditional methods. Past and recent research strongly supports the use of computer assisted instruction in the education of individuals with ASD (Moore (&) Calvert, 2000; Noor, Shahbodin, (&) Pee, 2012). Computer games have been shown to boost confidence and provide calming mechanisms (Griffiths, 2003) while being a safe environment for social exploration and learning (Moore, Cheng, McGrath, (&) Powell, 2005). Games increase children's motivation and thus increase the rate of learning in computer mediated environments (Moore (&) Calvert, 2000). Furthermore, children with ASD are able to understand basic emotions and facial expressions in avatars more easily than in real-world interactions (Moore, Cheng, McGrath, (&) Powell, 2005).Perspective-taking (also known as role-taking) has been shown to be a crucial component and antecedent to empathy (Gomez-Becerra, Martin, Chavez-Brown, (&) Greer, 2007; Peng, Lee, (&) Heeter, 2010). Though symptoms vary across children with ASD, perspective-taking and empathy are abilities that have been shown to be limited across a wide spectrum of individuals with ASD and Asperger's disorder (Gomez-Becerra, Martin, Chavez-Brown, (&) Greer, 2007). A game called WUBeeS was developed to aid young children with ASD in perspective taking and empathy by placing the player in the role of a caregiver to a virtual avatar. It is hypothesized that through the playing of this game over a series of trials, children with ASD will show an increase in the ability to discriminate emotions, provide appropriate responses to basic needs (e.g. feeding the avatar when it is hungry), and be able to communicate more clearly about emotions.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005184, ucf:50654
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005184

Title: Evaluating Improvisation as a Technique for Training Pre-Service Teachers for Inclusive Classrooms.
Creator: Becker, Theresa, Hines, Rebecca, Beverly, Monifa, Hopp, Carolyn, Hamed, Kastro, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Improvisation is a construct that uses a set of minimal heuristic guidelines to create a highly flexible scaffold that fosters extemporaneous communication. Scholars from diverse domains: such as psychology, business, negotiation, and education have suggested its use as a method for preparing professionals to manage complexity and think on their feet. A review of the literature revealed that while there is substantial theoretical scholarship on using improvisation in diverse domains, little...
Show moreImprovisation is a construct that uses a set of minimal heuristic guidelines to create a highly flexible scaffold that fosters extemporaneous communication. Scholars from diverse domains: such as psychology, business, negotiation, and education have suggested its use as a method for preparing professionals to manage complexity and think on their feet. A review of the literature revealed that while there is substantial theoretical scholarship on using improvisation in diverse domains, little research has verified these assertions. This dissertation evaluated whether improvisation, a specific type of dramatic technique, was effective for training pre-service teachers in specific characteristics of teacher-child classroom interaction, communication and affective skills development. It measured the strength and direction of any potential changes such training might effect on pre-service teacher's self-efficacy for teaching and for implementing the communication skills common to improvisation and teaching while interacting with student in an inclusive classroom setting. A review of the literature on teacher self-efficacy and improvisation clarified and defined key terms, and illustrated relevant studies. This study utilized a mixed-method research design based on instructional design and development research. Matched pairs t-tests were used to analyze the self-efficacy and training skills survey data and pre-service teacher reflections and interview transcripts were used to triangulate the qualitative data. Results of the t-tests showed a significant difference in participants' self-efficacy for teaching measured before and after the improvisation training. A significant difference in means was also measured in participants' aptitude for improvisation strategies and for self-efficacy for their implementation pre-/post- training. Qualitative results from pre-service teacher class artifacts and interviews showed participants reported beneficial personal outcomes as well as confirmed using skills from the training while interacting with students. Many of the qualitative themes parallel individual question items on the teacher self-efficacy TSES scale as well as the improvisation self-efficacy scale CSAI. The self-reported changes in affective behavior such as increased self-confidence and ability to foster positive interaction with students are illustrative of changes in teacher agency. Self-reports of being able to better understand student perspectives demonstrate a change in participant ability to empathize with students. Participants who worked with both typically developing students as well as with students with disabilities reported utilizing improvisation strategies such as Yes, and..., mirroring emotions and body language, vocal prosody and establishing a narrative relationship to put the students at ease, establish a positive learning environment, encourage student contributions and foster teachable moments. The improvisation strategies showed specific benefit for participants working with nonverbal students or who had commutation difficulties, by providing the pre-service teachers with strategies for using body language, emotional mirroring, vocal prosody and acceptance to foster interaction and communication with the student.Results from this investigation appear to substantiate the benefit of using improvisation training as part of a pre-service teacher methods course for preparing teachers for inclusive elementary classrooms. Replication of the study is encouraged with teachers of differing populations to confirm and extend results.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004516, ucf:49273
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004516

Social Skills (4)	+ -
social skills (4)	+ -
social skill (3)	+ -
Autism Spectrum Disorders (2)	+ -
adolescents (2)	+ -

autism (2)	+ -
interpersonal skills (2)	+ -
social anxiety disorder (2)	+ -
video modeling (2)	+ -
ADDIE (1)	+ -
Asperger's (1)	+ -
Asperger's Disorder (1)	+ -
Assessment (1)	+ -
Assistant Principals (1)	+ -
Autism (1)	+ -
Autism Spectrum Disorder (1)	+ -
BAT (1)	+ -
Children (1)	+ -
Children with Autism (1)	+ -
Disabilities (1)	+ -
Empathy (1)	+ -
English Language Learners (ELL) (1)	+ -
Gesture (1)	+ -
Immediate Feedback (1)	+ -
Inclusion (1)	+ -
Independent Skills (1)	+ -
Intellectual Disabilities (1)	+ -
Middle School (1)	+ -
Nonverbal Behavior (1)	+ -
Perspective-Taking (1)	+ -

University of Central Florida (17)	+ -
Dieker, Lisa (5)	+ -
Beidel, Deborah (4)	+ -
Little, Mary (3)	+ -
Hines, Rebecca (2)	+ -

Hopp, Carolyn (2)	+ -
Martin, Suzanne (2)	+ -
Pearl, Cynthia (2)	+ -
Scharfstein, Lindsay (2)	+ -
Barmaki, Roghayeh (1)	+ -
Becker, Theresa (1)	+ -
Beverly, Monifa (1)	+ -
Blake, Bruce (1)	+ -
Bowers, Clint (1)	+ -
Butler, Malcolm (1)	+ -
Cassisi, Jeffrey (1)	+ -
Cerasale, Mark (1)	+ -
Fenaughty, Joan (1)	+ -
Foroosh, Hassan (1)	+ -
Gallup, Jennifer (1)	+ -
Hamed, Kastro (1)	+ -
Hart, John (1)	+ -
Hayes, Grant (1)	+ -
Helton, Julie (1)	+ -
Higginbotham, Patricia (1)	+ -
Hughes, Charles (1)	+ -
Hughes, Darin (1)	+ -
Jahani, Shiva (1)	+ -
Jentsch, Florian (1)	+ -
Kincaid, John (1)	+ -

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