Self-Monitoring Interventions for Students with ASD: a Meta-analysis of School-Based Research

The current study examines qualities of self-monitoring (SM) interventions for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) within school settings. Despite substantial research supporting the use of SM in schools, there is currently a lack of consensus regarding the student-, intervention-, and setting-level variables that support the use of this intervention. The current study specifically examines characteristics of students with ASD that react favorably to the intervention, what procedures are necessary for implementation, and how settings within schools affect outcomes. Sixteen single subject studies were identified with 28 unique participants. Results indicate strong effects for students with ASD (overall Tau-U = .83 CI 95 [.78, .78]) across a variety of behavioral targets and school settings. In terms of implementation, the current analysis found that much of this interventions effects are based four key components (e.g., selecting a target behavior, defining the target behavior, self-assessment, and self-recording). In addition, preliminary evidence shows that higher levels of student involvement lead to stronger intervention effects.