This study attempts to find out the effect of the activity-based embedded intervention on the initial sociality and social interactions of the mentally retarded children. A study subject is a child diagnosed with a mental retardation, who is allocated...
This study attempts to find out the effect of the activity-based embedded intervention on the initial sociality and social interactions of the mentally retarded children. A study subject is a child diagnosed with a mental retardation, who is allocated in an ordinary class for five-years old at a kindergarten attached to an elementary school in Daejun City. Specifically, the study examines the effect of the activity-based embedded intervention on the child’s behavior in scheduled activities led by an instructor, in free activities led by the child, and in regular routines. Multiple probe baseline design across settings was employed for the experimental design to sequentially implement the activity-based embedded intervention in each situation with a specific activity goal. In order to observe the behavioral change following the intervention, the subject was videotaped with a camcorder for ten minutes before the intervention starts, and for another ten minutes starting from five minutes after the activity begins. Using the partial interval recording with 8 seconds of observation and 2 seconds of recording, the frequency of behavior was calculated as a percentage and was compared.
The experiment with a total of 35 sessions was conducted for seven weeks from March 10. Maintenance data were collected from four sessions two weeks after the intervention in an identical environment with the baseline was completed in order to examine the maintaining effect.
Conclusion The results of these studies are as follows:
First, the activity-based embedded intervention has promoted the social initiation of the mentally retard children.
Second, the activity-based embedded intervention has improved the social interactions of the mentally retard children.
Hence, the activity-based embedded intervention is effective in improving the social initiation and social interactions of the mentally retarded children, and it can also promote and maintain children’s interconnection with peers in the absence of the teacher’s facilitation.