Self-Monitoring for Students With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are neuropsychological disorders that can be challenging to students both academically and social-emotionally, especially when they occur together. Students with ASD can have co-occurring OCD, which can complicate social-emotional and academic outcomes. Teachers are in an ideal situation to provide classroom-based strategies, such as self-monitoring, that can help facilitate students’ social and academic success. With self-monitoring, students observe and measure their behavior and compare it against a goal, which can promote greater self-awareness and behavior change. This column provides a step-by-step guide on how to implement self-monitoring with students who have OCD and ASD.