A Case Study On Executive Function Intervention For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

To analyze effect of executive function intervention of children with autism spectrum disorder(ASD), this study choose 6 children with autism spectrum disorders who were randomly selected from an autism rehabilitation center, and matched into the experimental group and the control group. Experimental group were adopt executive function intervention based on the tablet computer games. Both groups accept conventional society-adaptation, rehabilitation training, such as the experimental group children’s executive function training at the same time. The executive function training system involved the inhibitory control ability, working memory and cognitive flexibility. The inhibitory control ability by Stroop, Go/No Go paradigm, such as working memory, using paradigm of N-back and the cognitive flexibility using tablet of Wisconsin card, etc were trained. The training were one-on-one,30 minutes a day, five times a week, a total of 12 weeks. This study analysis the changes between before and after the intervention from inhibitory control ability, cognitive flexibility, working memory, attention, and autism behavior. At the same time, the real-time observation in the course of the intervention were used formative assessment in the process of intervention, and parent interviews after the intervention were implement to understand the changes in children’s daily life before and after the intervention.Results show that the children after the intervention, the ability of inhibitory control tasks, click on the correct, the accuracy of cognitive flexibility task and working memory accuracy are improved obviously. Completion time of attention 3×3,4×4, and 5×5 test task were significantly shorter than before. Autism behavior rating were decreased obviously after intervention. Formative assessment score of experimental ASD children in the process of intervention, showed a trend that rising and 12 weeks of formative assessment score significantly higher than the week 1 score. The interview with parents also shown that children changed obviously and symptoms improved after the training. Therefore, executive function intervention based on tablet PC game can significantly improve inhibitory control ability, cognitive flexibility, working memory and attention of children with autism spectrum disorders, and can alleviate the symptoms of autism behavior.