Standing at Sinai With Autism: A Young Man's Bar Mitzvah Journey

This article describes the journey that a family and community took to prepare Leon, a young man with autism, for his Bar Mitzvah. A positive behavior support (PBS) intervention was used to prepare Leon for this symbolic rite of passage into the Jewish culture. He had specific problem behaviors that...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of positive behavior interventions 2009-07, Vol.11 (3), p.186-192
Main Author: Hyman, Mia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Autism
Behavior Modification
Behavior Problems
Canada
Ceremonies
Child Development
Compliance (Psychology)
Cultural Influences
Day Schools
Environmental Influences
Foreign Countries
Intervention
Jewish people
Jews
Language Acquisition
Positive Reinforcement
Prediction
Rites & ceremonies
Symptoms (Individual Disorders)
Teaching Methods
Teenagers
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Summary:This article describes the journey that a family and community took to prepare Leon, a young man with autism, for his Bar Mitzvah. A positive behavior support (PBS) intervention was used to prepare Leon for this symbolic rite of passage into the Jewish culture. He had specific problem behaviors that needed to be addressed for him to participate in the ceremony. Specifically, his problem behaviors included noncompliance, inappropriate self-touching in public places, and difficulty sitting for long periods of time. Setting event, predictor, teaching, and consequence strategies were put into place to address these issues. The outcome of these supports was twofold: Not only did Leon successfully participate in all aspects of his Bar Mitzvah ceremony and celebration, but in so doing, he also provided a lesson about inclusion and hope to his community.
ISSN:1098-3007
1538-4772
DOI:10.1177/1098300708329012