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Current Event Paper
Functional Analysis of Inappropriate Social Interactions
in Students with Asperger’s Syndrome
Ashley Hopersberger
Soci 200
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With this summary of the article I have chosen, the author was able to see if they have analyzed
the inappropriate social interactions of three students with Asperger's syndrome from a public
elementary school between the ages six through nine. Special Education teachers have chosen
these three students due to them showing inappropriate social behavior that was interfacing with
social interactions with other peers who did not have Asperger Syndrome. With them doing this,
they were able to see if the three student's behavior was maintained by social positive
reinforcement or if it was not maintained by social positive reinforcement or to see if they were
able to show appropriate school behavior as well as other peers who do not have Asperger
Syndrome. After some time they have been testing these three students to see if testing was done
to see if the inappropriate social behavior was sensitive to social positive reinforcement
contingencies. They have also tested to see if whether contingencies could be reversed to
increase the probability of socially appropriate responding or if it cannot be reversed at all to
increase social appropriate responding. The results that they have found and also, show that
social positive reinforces can be identified for inappropriate social interactions and that
appropriate social behaviors can be sensitive to reinforcement contingency reversals. Also, the
results do show that each child that was involved in the testing process was determined to have
positive reinforcement and will be able to help them interact with other peers who not have a
disability and they also have worked on the different inappropriate social behavior that each of
them were having issues with. Although with these three students going through this testing,
they still may have some interactions to where they continue the inappropriate behavior, that
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they have been working on to correct so they can be able to interact with other peers as
themselves.
With the second part of my summary, I will be referring Asperger Syndrome to the different
types of Social Interaction. Choosing just one type is impossible due to the three students being a
part of different groups. All three of the students to show that they all have intentional and
unintentional behaviors. Two of the students do show Conflict social interaction due to them
trying to control another peers behavior. While the other student shows Coercion social
interaction. With Conflict social interaction this takes place in a social interaction with one or
more peers or a group that attempts to control the behavior of another. Coerc...
