29th Annual Student Research Conference
The Effect of Focus Toys on Incidence of Challenging Behavior
Lynde K. Blakely♦
Dr. Julia D. Edgar, Faculty Mentor
Appropriate behavior is vital to a student's success within a classroom learning environment. Challenging behaviors, such as rising from the chair, communicating off topic, and using classroom materials inappropriately impair a student's ability to focus and learn. This project assesses the effect of utilizing focus toys to reduce incidence of challenging behavior, in an effort to improve learning outcomes in the classroom. Focus toys, or fidget toys, are small toys that can be easily and silently manipulated to offer sensory feedback for a child's hands, while allowing a child's mind to focus on another task. One six-year-old participant was examined in this ABA single-subject design study. Incidence of challenging behavior was recorded before use of focus toys, with use of focus toys, and during a withdrawal phase without use of focus toys. Results indicated that use of focus toys did decrease incidence of challenging behavior.
Keywords: Focus Toys, Behavior Management
Topic(s):Communication Disorders
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 6-1
Location: GEO-SUB
Time: 3:30