Autism Expert Targets Communication Between Parents, Children

Helping children with autism to develop their behavior by improving communications between them and their parents is a goal for School of Education Professor Dr. Rachel Robertson.

Robertson, a board certified behavior analyst and assistant professor of special education, is particularly hoping to serve as a resource for African-American families that may be deterred from participating in studies and resource groups.

Robertson is asking families to let her visit them in their homes for about 30 minutes at the time of day when the child with autism is most likely to have problem behavior. After observing the situation, Robertson can then work with the family to develop a different way of communicating with the autistic child that may head off a resulting meltdown—improving behavior of the child and reducing stress levels at home.

Depending on the severity of autism, children may not speak, may speak in one-word sentences or may be highly verbal, but all may be unable to “read between the lines” to understand social and emotional language.

“What we see is that difficult behavior like tantrums is what works best in getting their point across,” Robertson said.

Robertson’s experience, which includes working as a fellow at The Watson Institute in Sewickley and the Vanderbilt Behavior Research Center at Vanderbilt University, shows that by being very clear and upfront about expectations, parents and caregivers may sideline difficult behavior.

For instance, parents may find their children flop onto the grocery store floor, screaming and kicking, when they don’t get candy. “If they’ve learned this works well—and they get the candy—they are more likely to continue using this behavior in the future,” Robertson said.

While toddlers, autistic and otherwise, might be most apt to use this behavior, autistic children tend to depend on the behavior longer if other communication skills don’t develop.

“You can see this type of behavior from people of all ages with autism or they might cause self-injury through hitting their heads or biting themselves,” Robertson said. “They find this difficult behavior is the best way to get their needs met.”

Attending an inclusive elementary school, Robertson found her autistic classmates “interesting and different” and was best friends with a girl with autism, so her experience extends beyond academic settings. “It’s helpful for kids with autism to know what to expect,” she said. “For instance, if they think they will get candy because they are going to the store, they need extra input to be really clear upfront on what’s going to happen. The parent might say what’s going to happen, give them a schedule that they will be going to the grocery store and they will be buying nothing but what is on the list, then show them the list. If they are going to the grocery store, the bank and Toys R Us, it’s helpful for the kids to know that. Once they do, they can start to understand and anticipate that this is what’s going to happen.”

Many people with autism also suffer from anxiety, particularly in unexpected situations. “As connections become less clear to them, they tend to become anxious,” Robertson said. “To latch onto the predictability and anticipate what’s happening is really important for them. Routines are calming to make the chaotic world understandable. Rigidity and intense interest is often characteristic of autism. It’s important that parents and caregivers try to enter their children’s world as a baby step to getting them into the bigger world.”

For instance, children with Asperger’s syndrome, a milder form along the autism spectrum, may resent “top-down” decisions by parents and might respond better to adults seeking their input.

By visiting with families for about 30 minutes a day over several weeks, Robertson hopes to understand the child’s behavior and offer parents effective strategies.

For more information on participating in this work, funded by a $9,000 Faculty Development award and $2,000 from the Sizemore Urban Initiative, email or call Robertson at 412.396.4478.