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LEISURE‐DANCE INSTRUCTION FOR SEVERELY AND PROFOUNDLY RETARDED PERSONS: TEACHING AN INTERMEDIATE COMMUNITY‐LIVING SKILL
Author(s) -
Lagomarcino Ann,
Reid Dennis H.,
Ivancic Martin T.,
Faw Gerald D.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of applied behavior analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1938-3703
pISSN - 0021-8855
DOI - 10.1901/jaba.1984.17-71
Subject(s) - dance , trainer , psychology , generalization , dreyfus model of skill acquisition , activities of daily living , independent living , developmental psychology , medical education , gerontology , medicine , psychiatry , art , mathematical analysis , literature , mathematics , computer science , economics , programming language , economic growth
We evaluated an approach for teaching an intermediate community living skill via a leisure‐dance activity to institutionalized severely and profoundly retarded persons. The targeted skill was considered as intermediate in contrast to a community living skill per se because it was based on successful performances of higher functioning, noninstitutionalized retarded persons as opposed to nonhandicapped individuals. Definitions for appropriate dancing were established and then validated through observations of the performance of retarded persons living in the local community. The dance skills were then taught to four participants through serial training in leg movements, arm movements, and coordinated leg and arm movements, plus follow‐up trainer supervision. Generalization was also programmed by way of multiple trainers and training settings. Results during structured assessments showed that all four residents acquired the dance skills and that both serial training and follow‐up supervision were necessary for skill acquisition. Generalized increases in appropriate dancing at dances attended by the participants and retarded persons from the community were also demonstrated. However, in most cases some active supervision by caregivers was needed to enhance the generalized improvements. Results are discussed in terms of the applicability of this approach for validating goals when training other community‐related skills to low‐functioning populations.