One lesson CPI teaches in the Nonviolent Crisis Intervention® training program is the concept of the Integrated Experience. It's the idea that the behaviors and attitudes of staff and caregivers impact the behaviors and attitudes of individuals, and vice versa.
I started thinking about the Integrated Experience and how its effectiveness is obvious in all different types of treatments after reading an article about robots and autism. Yes, that's right, robots!
Some researchers at the University of Connecticut are among a group working with children with autism to see if their interaction with small animated robots will help them to improve their motor and communication skills.
All children are attracted to robots. But children with autism appear to be able to relate to robots in different ways. For example, children with autism frequently have difficulty reading facial expressions because they are momentary. A robot, however, displays simpler expressions that don't change quite so fast, helping autistic children to notice them more, and help mimic them on their own.
The robots can shake hands, bow, play, and dance—all activities that the children learn to imitate quicker than usual.
Even more promising, studies also show that the children don't just connect with the robot, but also with the tester who controls the robot, which means the interactions and skills children learn can be transferred to human interactions.
I think this creative treatment method illustrates the importance of the Integrated Experience and how it can be implemented in different situations to provide individuals with the best Care, Welfare, Safety, and SecuritySM possible. What are some inspiring ways you use the Integrated Experience in your organization?
More Resources
Read more about autism on our Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Knowledge Base page.