Reducing Aggression in Children with Autism toward Infant or Toddler Siblings

Children with autism often lack appropriate means to communicate and may rely on aggression and other disruptive behaviors to express their needs. This may be a particularly serious problem when aggression occurs toward an infant or toddler, who could be severely injured by an older sibling. This study examined the use of functional assessment and individualized parent-implemented intervention plans in the home setting, including functional communication training with relevant ecological manipulations. Data were collected in the context of a multiple baseline design across three families. The results showed that after the intervention there were: (1) large reductions in the children's aggression toward their infant or toddler sibling, (2) increases in parent and child happiness level, and (3) increases in strangers' level of comfort with respect to interacting with the family. The results are discussed in terms of improving the overall quality of life for families of children with autism.