Effects of Joint Action Routine on Improving Social Behavior of a Student with ASD

Joint action routine (JAR) was implemented to help a 10-year-old student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) improve his social skills. The implementation of JAR involved incorporating several elements into group activities. These elements included establishing a meaningful theme for the activities, assigning simple and reciprocal roles to the students participating in the activities, and arranging the activities in a logical sequence. In addition, the activities were done with planned repetitions and gradual variations. A multiple-baseline design across three settings was used to evaluate the effects of JAR. Before receiving the intervention, the student had tantrums and tried to isolate himself during group activities. However, the student was able to improve his social behaviors upon the implementation of JAR. He was also able to maintain his behaviors and perform them with different peers. The improvement in the student’s behavior was immediate and substantial, and it was consistent across the three settings. The results of this study could have important implications for practitioners and researchers interested in the use of JAR with students with ASD.