Life skills evaluation in a kindergarten special education classroom

Children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are at risk of developing severe interfering behavior, such as aggression and self-injury. Teaching young children with IDD life skills, such as social and communication skills, may help prevent the development of interfering behavior by addressing deficits in these areas. This study extended previous research on the Preschool Life Skills program by adapting it for young children with IDD, renamed the Life Skills Program (LSP). We evaluated the effects of researcher-implemented LSP on the classwide use of social and communication skills and interfering behavior for five kindergarten children with IDD in a public special education classroom using a multiple-baseline-across-units design. We also assessed generalization to novel settings and adults as well as maintenance of skills. The results demonstrated a functional relation between LSP and increased use of life skills along with preliminary evidence of skill generalization and maintenance over time.