Using behavior skills training to teach recreational motor skills to middle school students with moderate disabilities

Abstract

AbstractMotor skills are important for everyone as they are linked to one's amount of physical activity. Recreational motor skills are especially important for students with disabilities so they can participate in games and activities with their same‐age peers. However, many individuals with disabilities are not proficient in these skills. The purpose of this multiple baseline across skills study was to determine the effects of behavioral skills training (BST) on middle school students with disabilities' (age 12–14 years old) kicking, catching, and throwing a ball. Three students participated in the study. All participants had a diagnosis of both intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder. Findings revealed that implementation of BST did improve the participants' recreational motor skills. Results also suggested that for some students, generalization across skills can occur when using BST. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research are provided.