An Examination of Two Hair-Washing Interventions for Children With Autism

Children with autism may experience sensory sensitivities that can make daily hygiene activities difficult and challenging. Previous research suggests that behavioral-based interventions (e.g., video-modeling, prompting) can help address hygiene skills (e.g., handwashing), but little is known about how to increase independence and decrease sensitivities during hair-washing. The purpose of this study was to explore tolerance during hair-washing with three participant dyads that included young children (ages 3–5) with sensory sensitivities and their parents who washed their hair during all sessions. An alternating treatments design was used to compare the impact of a behavioral intervention package (i.e., video modeling, choice of goggles, and hand over hand prompting) in conjunction with goggles and a rag (i.e., washcloth) on tolerance during hair-washing. The results indicate that both interventions were effective and participant preference toward the interventions varied. Implications and areas for future research are discussed.