Date of Award

Fall 12-2021

Document Type

Project (696 or 796 registration)

Degree Name

Master of Science in Special Education

Department

Graduate Studies

Committee Chair

Keri DeSutter

Keywords

social emotional behavior, social skills, mindfulness

Abstract

The AIM social skills curriculum was designed to introduce the elements of mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and applied behavior analysis (ABA) to children in a fun and accessible way. The elements of the AIM curriculum have been used as the treatment approach for children with social and emotional disabilities. This paper focused on the implementation of the program with students who are determined to have emotional disabilities. Combining the elements of mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy and applied behavior analysis allows for targeting the variables that maintain maladaptive behavior, the way the environment is either increasing or decreasing the likelihood of adaptive, flexible behaviors, which can alter the effects of contexts in with the child interacts with both his or her thoughts and the contingencies he or she encounters. Overall, the components of the AIM curriculum have proven to effect a positive change in the behavior of the children in this study.

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