Document Type
Dissertation
Publication Date
4-22-2024
Abstract
Date: 04/22/2025
Student Name: Kiana Bennett
Capstone Project Title: The Impact of Art based Interventions on Self-Regulation in children with Autism
Capstone Faculty Advisor: Dr. Joylynne Wills, OTD, OTR/L
Abstract:
This program development proposes a comprehensive toolkit with the use of Art Intervention within the practice of Occupational Therapy, to help improve self-regulation skills. The purpose is to create an intervention model to help enhance self-regulation skills in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) using art and the Zones of Regulation as the intervention. Various art-based activities will be used as an intervention such as drawing, clay, and mixed media. The areas of focus will include self-regulation, attention span and problem-solving. Children with ASD tend to report: (a) fewer friendships, (b) poorer friendship quality, and (c) reduced appropriate social interaction during the non-structured period (Silveira-Zaldivar & Curtis, 2019). Through qualitative data collection methods including naturalistic observation and pre- and post-surveys, the effectiveness of the intervention will be assessed over a fourteenweek period. Teachers and staff involved in the program will provide valuable feedback through pre- and post-surveys, contributing to the evaluation of its efficacy. The program targets children with autism ages 7-12 within a school environment and pediatric outpatient clinical setting. Art-based activities as an intervention will be combined with Sensory Integration (SI). Based on Ayre’s theory, lack of sensory integration may be one of the underlying causes of the behavioral problems in children with autism. Between 90 and 95% of children with autism are estimated to have sensory processing difficulties (Guardado, 2023). With the use of art intervention, children can improve their self-regulation skills through different mediums of art in conjunction with the other strategies outlined in the Zones of Regulation. The activities included in SI provide vestibular, proprioceptive, auditory, and tactile stimuli, which in turn help to organize the sensory system.
Recommended Citation
Bennett, Kianna and Wills, Joylynne, "The Impact of Art based Interventions on Self-Regulation in children with Autism" (2024). Howard University, Department of Occupational Therapy Capstone and Faculty Research. 26.
https://dh.howard.edu/huotresearch/26
