Contextual Assessment Inventory: Contextual Variables of Problem Behaviors of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

In this study, to identify the antecedents, environmental events, and contexts which evoke problem behaviors of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), data was collected by the Turkish Form of the Contextual Assessment Inventory (CAI-T) from 23 individuals who were 15-37 years old and the contextual variables which evoke problem behaviors were examined. Firstly, psychometric properties of the CAI-T were examined and then it was filled by 20 teachers who were working at different institutions, means and percentages of items on the inventory were calculated, answers to the open-ended questions were analyzed and the contextual variables which mostly evoke problem behaviors of individuals with ASD were identified. Socio-cultural variables (the tone of the voice of the employee, negatively indicating one’s opinions, not meeting the needs of the individual, not obtaining any rewards or reinforcers, etc.) and the variables related to the tasks or activities (difficult and boring tasks, making many mistakes, change in routines, and so forth) are the most frequently associated events with problem behaviors of individuals with ASD. Researchers indicated that CAI-T was a reliable tool in identifying contexts which evoke problem behaviors of individuals with autism, and they explained that the teachers and special educators could use CAI-T to identify the context of problem behaviors and to plan an intervention program to prevent these behaviors.