Mixed Methods Approach to Describe Social Interaction During a Group Intervention for Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Carlota Alcover, Ma Ángeles Mairena, Marcela Mezzatesta, Neus Elias, María Díez-Juan, Gemma Balañá, Mireia González-Rodríguez, Jairo Rodríguez-Medina, M Teresa Anguera, Eulàlia Arias-Pujol, Carlota Alcover, Ma Ángeles Mairena, Marcela Mezzatesta, Neus Elias, María Díez-Juan, Gemma Balañá, Mireia González-Rodríguez, Jairo Rodríguez-Medina, M Teresa Anguera, Eulàlia Arias-Pujol

Abstract

Over the last 20 years, researchers have been mixing qualitative and quantitative approaches, but mixed methods research represents a new movement that arose in response to the currents of qualitative and quantitative research, considered separately. Little has been published on the use of polar coordinate analysis in psychotherapy. This type of analysis can provide detailed information and integrate the qualitative-quantitative analysis. Even less has been published on the analysis of ASD children's behavior. The main aim of this study was to implement this mixed methods methodology to analyze patterns of social behaviors in a group of adolescents with ASD during a group social competence intervention program. Moreover, we wanted to see whether an observational scale could be combined fruitfully with polar coordinate analysis and to investigate whether typical ASD behaviors show similar interrelations (prospective and retrospective sequentialities) as behaviors observed in psychotherapy. We used an adaptation from the Social Skills Training Program (UC Davis, California). We observed that each participant took a unique course, increasing or decreasing the number and quality of their social behaviors. In accordance with previous literature, results suggest some increment in the amount of appropriate social conduct. We did not detect a generalized progress pattern but agreed that there were changes between the beginning and end of the intervention. Therefore, we consider that observational methodology is useful in the field of psychotherapy and ASD, offering detailed information about changes and development that cannot be obtained with other traditional measures, such as questionnaires.

Keywords: ASD; Qual-Quan integration; group; mixed methods; polar coordinate; social skills interventions; systematic observation.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Development of high level positive interaction (HPI) behaviors and low level positive interaction (LPI) behaviors for participant 1. Session blocks 1-2-3 from left to right.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Graphs 1 and 2 represent vectors corresponding to functional communication (COMFU) as the focal behavior during the first and the second blocks of sessions and looking, gestures and functional play as conditional behaviors. Graph 3 represents gestures of nodding/shaking head as focal behavior during the third block and proximity (PX) and functional communication as conditional behaviors.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Graph 1 represents vectors corresponding to eye contact (CO) as focal behavior during first block of sessions, and verbal social communication (COSOVER) as conditional behavior. Graph 2 represents verbal social communication as the focal behavior during the first block of sessions. Graph 3 represent vectors corresponding to eye contact as focal behavior during the second and third block of sessions, and conventional gestures and social smile (SON) as conditional behaviors.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Development of HPI behaviors and low level positive interaction (LPI) behaviors for participant 2. Session blocks 1-2-3 from left to right.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Vectors corresponding to social behaviors of participant 2. Graph 1 and 3 correspond to sessions 4-5-6 and focal behaviors are GEMO and COSOVER. In Graph 2, the focal behavior is GESEN in sessions 1-2-3.
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
Development of HPI behaviors and low level positive interaction (LPI) behaviors for participant 3. Session blocks 1-2-3 from left to right.
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 7
Vectors corresponding to functional communication (COMFU) as focal behavior, and emphatic gestures, gestures of nodding/shaking the head, emotional gestures, looking at an object and functional play as conditional behaviors. Session blocks 1 and 3.
FIGURE 8
FIGURE 8
Development of HPI behaviors and low level positive interaction (LPI) behaviors for participant 4. Session blocks 1-2-3 from left to right.
FIGURE 9
FIGURE 9
Graph 1 represents vectors corresponding to functional communication (COMFU) as focal behavior and the gestures of head nodding/shaking, physical proximity, functional communication and functional play as conditional behaviors during the first block of sessions (sessions 1-2-3). Graph 2 represents gestures of head nodding/shaking as focal behavior and physical proximity and repetitive behaviors as conditional behaviors during the second block of sessions (sessions 4-5-6).
FIGURE 10
FIGURE 10
Graph 1 represents eye contact (CO) as focal behavior and verbal social communication (COSOVER) as conditional behavior during the second block of sessions (sessions 4-5-6). Graph 2 represents the social smile (SON) as focal behavior during the second block of sessions (sessions 4-5-6). Graph 3 represents eye contact as focal behavior and social smile, emphatic gestures, descriptive gestures and pointing as conditional behaviors during the third block of sessions (sessions 7-8-9). Graph 4 represents verbal social communication as focal behavior and emphatic gestures as conditional behavior.
FIGURE 11
FIGURE 11
Development of HPI behaviors and low level positive interaction (LPI) behaviors for participant 5. Session blocks 1-2-3 from left to right.
FIGURE 12
FIGURE 12
Vectors corresponding to head nodding/shaking (yes/no) gestures as focal behavior, and functional play and pointing as conditional behaviors during the first block of sessions (sessions 1-2-3).
FIGURE 13
FIGURE 13
Vectors represent verbal social communication (COSOVER) as focal behavior and social smile as conditional behavior during the first block of sessions (sessions 1-2-3). Graph 2 represents eye contact (CO) as focal behavior and sharing objects and verbal social communication as conditional behaviors during the second block of sessions (sessions 4-5-6). Graph 3 represents emotional gestures as focal behavior and social smile as conditional behavior during the final block of sessions (sessions 7-8-9).

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