Assessment of Skills in Primary School Children with ASD. The “Tutor’s Compass” Diagnostic Tool. Part 1

Objectives. To individualize interventions during tutoring support for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), an assessment of the skills necessary for group learning is conducted. In Russia, there are no diagnostic tools specifically developed for tutors that consider the unique nature of their tasks. The presented tool, “Tutor’s Compass,” is designed to address diagnostic challenges in providing support to primary school students with ASD.

Methods. The diagnostic tool “Tutor’s Compass” is a questionnaire completed by the tutor or another psychological or educational support professional. It allows to assess the skill development in primary school students and to describe the forms of challenging behavior observed during the demonstration of these skills. The tool was tested on a group of 20 primary school students with ASD. The obtained data were compared with the results of adaptive behavior assessment using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales.

Results. The “Tutor’s Compass” tool revealed the significant variability in skill acquisition within the studied group (the proportions of mastered skills varied 0.26-1 across scales). The scales of the questionnaire demonstrated high internal consistency (each scale Cronbach’s alpha exceeds 0.9). Significant correlations were found between the “Tutor’s Compass” scales and the main scales of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales.

Conclusions. The “Tutor’s Compass” allows the qualitative and quantitative assessment of the skills development necessary for group teaching of primary school children with ASD over a wide range and can be used to develop the individual interventions plans.

1. Guseva N.Y. Inclusive Models of Resource and Self-Contained Classes for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Nizhny Novgorod Region. Organizational Aspects. Autizm i narusheniya razvitiya = Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2022, Vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 47—56. DOI:10.17759/autdd.2022200106 (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)
2. Kazmin A.M., Perminova G.A., Chugunova A.I. Application of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, Children & Youth Version (a brief review of the literature). Klinicheskaia i spetsial’naia psikhologiia = Clinical Psychology and Special Education, 2014, Vol. 3, no. 2 (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)
3. Kalashnikova S.A., Elohina K.A. Tutoring Support for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Inclusive School: System-Resource Approach [T’jutorskoe soprovozhdenie detej s rasstrojstvami autisticheskogo spektra v uslovijah inkljuzivnogo obrazovanija: sistemno-resursnyj podhod]. Uchjonye zapiski ZabGU: Serija: Pedagogicheskie nauki = Scholarly Notes of Transbaikal State University. Series Pedagogical Sciences, 2018, Vol. 13. no. 3. pp. 33—40. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)
4. Kupchaeva P.E., Hristoljubova L.V., Cygankova A.V. Problemy organizacii t’jutorskogo soprovozhdenija obuchajushhihsja s rasstrojstvom autisticheskogo spektra v uslovijah inkljuzivnogo obrazovanija [Issues of organization of tutor support for students with autism spectrum disorder in inclusive education]. Special’noe obrazovanie = Special Education, 2022, no. 1 (65), pp. 189—201 (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)
5. Ovchinnikova I.V., Zhukova M.A., Grigorenko E.L. Experimental Testing Of The Technique Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS) On A Russian Language Sample. Voprosy psihologii = The Issues Relevant to Psychology, 2018, no. 6, pp. 134—145.
6. Ovchinnikova T.S., Vasil’eva S.B., Taratorina A.A. Metodicheskoe soprovozhdenie raboty resursnogo klassa v uslovijah inkljuzivnogo obrazovanija [Methodological Support of the Resource Class in the Context of Inclusive Education]. Vestnik Leningradskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta imeni A.S. Pushkina = Pushkin Leningrad State University Journal, 2021, no. 4, pp. 233—246. DOI:10.35231/18186653_2021_4_233 (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)
7. Opisanie metodiki ocenki bazovyh rechevyh i uchebnyh navykov (ABLLS-R) / Semenovich M.L. [et al.]. Autizm i narusheniya razvitiya =Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2015, V. 13, no. 4, pp. 3—11. DOI:10.17759/autdd.2015130401 (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)
8. Opyt primenenija standartizirovannyh diagnosticheskih ocenochnyh shkal v kompleksnoj programme lechebno- korrekcionnoj pomoshhi detjam s rasstrojstvami autisticheskogo spektra [Experience of using standardized diagnostic assessment scales in a comprehensive program of treatment and correctional assistance for children with autism spectrum disorders] / Kasatkin V. N. [et al.]. Detskij autizm: issledovanija i praktika [Childhood Autism: Research and Practice], 2008, pp. 26—58 (In Russ.)
9. Tutor Support of the Educational Process of Junior Schoolchildren with ASD: «Class Tutor» Intervention / Shmeleva E.V. [et al.]. Autizm i narusheniya razvitiya = Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2022, V. 20, no. 4, pp. 3—16. DOI:10.17759/autdd.2022200401 (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)
10. Osobennosti social’noj adaptacii u detej i podrostkov s rasstrojstvami autisticheskogo spektra (RAS) razlichnoj etiologii [Features of Social Adaptation In Children And Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) of Different Etiologies] / Mamohina U.A. [et al.]. Sovremennye problemy nauki i obrazovanija = Modern problems of science and education, 2015, no. 1—2, pp. 222 (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)
11. Razzhivina M.I., Zabolotskaja V.A. Osobennosti adaptivnogo povedenija detej s autizmom [Features of adaptive behavior in children with autism]. Lichnost’ v menjajushhemsja mire: zdorov’e, adaptacija, razvitie [Personality in a changing world: health, adaptation, development], 2020, Vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 201—215. DOI:10.23888/humJ20202201-215 (In Russ.)
12. Resursnyj klass. Opyt organizacii obuchenija i vneurochnoj dejatel’nosti detej s autizmom v obshheobrazovatel’noj shkole: prakticheskoe posobie [Resource class. Experience of organizing education and extracurricular activities for children with autism in a comprehensive school: a practical guide] / Kozorez A. [et al.]; ed. Marina Azimova; Fond sodejstvija resheniju problem autizma v Rossii «Vyhod», ANO sodejstvija inkljuzii detej s RAS «Resursnyj klass». Moscow: ANO «Resursnyj klass», 2016. 359 p. (In Russ.)
13. Sajfutdinova L.R. Shkala Vajnlend kak metod kompleksnoj ocenki adaptivnogo funkcionirovanija detej s narushenijami razvitija [The Vineland scale as a method for comprehensive assessment of adaptive functioning of children with developmental disabilities]. Izvestija Rossijskogo gosudarstvennogo pedagogicheskogo universiteta im. A.I. Gercena = Izvestia: Herzen University Journal of Humanities & Sciences, 2007, Vol. 19, no. 45 (In Russ.)
14. Samsonova E.V., Mel’nik Y.V., Karpenkova I.V. T’jutorskoe soprovozhdenie obuchajushhihsja s osobymi obrazovatel’nymi potrebnostjami v uslovijah inkljuzivnogo obrazovanija [Tutor Support of Learners with Special Educational Needs in Conditions of Inclusive Education]. Klinicheskaia i spetsial’naia psikhologiia = Clinical Psychology and Special Education, 2021, Vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 165—182. DOI:10.17759/cpse.2021100210 (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)
15. Sundberg M. Rukovodstvo. Programma otsenki rechi i sotsial’nogo vzaimodeistviya dlya detei s autizmom i drugimi narusheniyami razvitiya [Guide. Program for evaluating speech and social interaction of children with autism and other developmental disorders] / transl. into Russ. by S. Dolenko. Rishon LeZion: Publ. MEDIAL, 2008. 275 p.
16. Semago N.Y., Solomakhina E.A. Psychological and pedagogical support of a child with ASD. Autizm i narusheniya razvitiya = Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2017, Vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 4—14. DOI:10.17759/autdd.2017150101 (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)
17. T’jutorskoe soprovozhdenie detej s ogranichennymi vozmozhnostjami zdorov’ja: uchebno-metodicheskoe posobie [Tutor support for children with disabilities: methodological guide] / Jakovleva I.M. [et al.]. Moscow: MGPU, 2021. 128 p. (In Russ.)
18. Khaustov A.V., Shmeleva E.V. Measuring the Level of Socialization in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Psikhologicheskaya nauka i obrazovanie = Psychological Science and Education, 2016, Vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 16—24. DOI:10.17759/pse.2016210303 (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)
19. Chizhova Yu.V. The Assessment Development of Life Competencies in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Inclusion Environment. Autizm i narusheniya razvitiya Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2022, Vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 59—68. DOI:10.17759/autdd.2022200406 (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)
20. Shoshmin A.V., Lorer V.V., Mal’kova S.V. Otdel’nye aspekty implementacii bazovogo nabora MKF pri rasstrojstvah autisticheskogo spektra v praktike reabilitacii i abilitacii [Certain Aspects of Implementation of the ICF Core Set for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Practice of Rehabilitation and Habilitation]. Fizicheskaja i reabilitacionnaja medicina = Physiсal and Rehabilitation Medicine, 2020, Vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 51—58. DOI:10.26211/2658-4522-2020-2-4-51-58 (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)
21. Saulnier C.A., Klaiman C., McQueen E. Adaptive behavior profiles in autism spectrum disorder. Current Psychiatry Reports, 2022, Vol. 24, no. 12, pp. 749—756. DOI:10.1007/s11920-022-01381-w
22. The Utilisation of Adaptive Behaviour Assessment Among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Scoping Review / Md Tajuddin N. E. H. [et al.]. Malaysian Journal of Medicine & Health Sciences, 2022, Vol. 18. DOI:10.47836/mjmhs18.s15.49
23. Transition to school for children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review / Marsh A. [et al.]. World journal of psychiatry, 2017, Vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 184—196. DOI:10.5498/wjp.v7.i3.184