Effectiveness of educational program based on PECS and behavioral interventions on the High-risk behaviors of students with autism spectrum disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one of the most challenging neurodevelopmental disorders, characterized by persistent patterns of social communication deficits and restricted, repetitive behaviors. The emergence of high-risk behaviors in some children with this disorder has profound negative consequences on individual adaptation, family relationships, and educational functioning. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a combined educational–rehabilitative program based on the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) alongside behavioral intervention principles in reducing high-risk behaviors among students with ASD (8-12 age range). The research was experimental, employing a pre-test–post-test and follow-up design with a control group. Among students with a confirmed diagnosis of autism in Kermanshah during the 1403–1404 academic year, 30 students were selected by using a convenience sampling method and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in 40 structured training sessions over two months, based on PECS principles and applied behavior analysis strategies. Data were collected using the Gresham and Elliott Social Skills Questionnaire (Behavior Problems Factor) and analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance. The findings indicated that the educational–rehabilitative program led to a significant reduction in high-risk behaviors at the post-test stage; however, parts of this improvement diminished during the follow-up phase. While the results emphasize the short-term effectiveness of the intervention, they also highlight the necessity of continued training and reinforcement services to consolidate desirable behaviors. Based on the findings, it is recommended that special schools utilize a combination of visual communication approaches and behavioral interventions for effective management of high-risk behaviors.