BCAT EXAM STUDY SHEET VERIFIED A+

BCAT EXAM STUDY SHEET VERIFIED A+ Deficits in Autism 1. Deficits in Social-Emotional Reciprocity These can range from atypical social approaches and an inability to engage in normal conversational exchanges to reduced sharing of interests and emotions, and a failure to initiate or respond to social interactions. 2. Deficits in Nonverbal Communicative Behaviors for Social Interaction This is characterized by a lack, reduction, or unusual use of eye contact (considering cultural norms), gestures, facial expressions, body postures, or variations in speech intonation. 3. Deficits in Developing, Maintaining, and Understanding Relationships Individuals may struggle with adapting behavior to fit various social contexts, may find it difficult to engage in imaginative play or make friends, and may show little interest in interacting with peers. 4. Stereotyped or Repetitive Motor Movements, Use of Objects, or Speech This includes simple motor stereotypes, such as repetitive actions or toy organization, echolalia, and idiosyncratic phrases that have special meanings known only to those familiar with the context. 5. Insistence on Sameness, Inflexible Adherence to Routines, or Ritualized Behaviors Individuals may experience significant distress with small changes, have trouble transitioning, engage in rigid thinking, follow specific greeting rituals, or insist on taking the same route or eating the same foods daily. 6. Highly Restricted, Fixated Interests Abnormal in Intensity or Focus This may manifest as strong attachments or fixations on unusual objects or exhibiting excessively narrow or perseverative interests. 7. Hyper or Hypo Reactivity to Sensory Input or Unusual Sensory Interests This may involve apparent indifference to pain or temperature, adverse reactions to specific sounds or textures, excessive engagement in smelling or touching objects, or visual fascination with lights or movement. 8. Levels of Severity for Social Communication and Restrictive, Repetitive Behaviors - Level 1: Requires support - Level 2: Requires substantial support - Level 3: Requires very substantial support ### Reinforcement and Punishment Concepts 1. Positive Reinforcement For example, when Sally independently removes her shoe and her mother praises her with clapping and encouraging words, this positive reinforcement increases the likelihood that Sally will take her shoes off independently again the next day. 2. Negative Reinforcement An example includes a car that emits an annoying sound when started. This noise stops when the seatbelt is fastened; therefore, the next time the driver enters the car, they buckle up before starting the engine to avoid the noise. 3. Positive Punishment For instance, when Jose hits Lisa to get her attention, the teacher reprimands him, which leads to Jose choosing to ask Lisa to play nicely the next day instead. 4. Research Regarding Treatment Intensity This indicates that effective interventions involve comprehensive programs that engage the entire family along with a team of professionals, usually consisting of 30-40 hours of one-on-one treatment per week. 5. Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention Research Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is known for its effectiveness in early childhood development. Children who begin interventions before the age of 2 often make significant progress. 6. Foundational Autism Research The Interactive Autism Network (IAN) is a project that gathers information from families of children with autism online, supporting the foundation for social skills training through ABA research. 7. Evidence-Based vs. Non-Evidence-Based Interventions - Evidence-Based: Treatments backed by a body of formal research demonstrating effectiveness, such as occupational therapy, speech therapy, ABA, and social skills therapy. - Non-Evidence-Based: Treatments lacking proven effectiveness, including options like equine therapy (hippotherapy) and the gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet. ### Types of Reinforcement and Punishment Explained 1. Negative Punishment If Jake enjoys physical education (PE) but spits at the teacher, being sent to stand in the hall leads to Jake refraining from spitting in the next class. 2. Positive Reinforcement A reinforcement type where presenting a stimulus following a response increases the likelihood of that response happening again in the future. 3. Negative Reinforcement A type of reinforcement where the removal of a stimulus contingent on a response boosts the probability of that response reoccurring. 4. Positive Punishment This occurs when a stimulus is presented as a result of a response, which leads to a decrease in the future likelihood of that response. 5. Negative Punishment