Persuasive Writing and Self-Regulation Training for Writers With Autism Spectrum Disorders

In this single-subject study, we examined the effects of a persuasive writing and self-regulation strategy on the writing of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Six children with ASD worked in pairs to learn a mnemonic-based strategy for planning and writing a persuasive essay using the self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) approach. Postintervention analysis revealed increases for all students in number of essay elements and holistic quality. Evidence of planning and self-regulation behaviors was also noted. Results support the assertion that utilizing a peer component to teach strategy instruction coupled with self-regulation procedures can positively affect the writing of children with ASD.