The Utah Newspaper

Created during ENGL 2010 Course at Salt Lake Community College

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Alan Rickman:
Biography

What is Applied
Behavior Analysis?
According to a study done by the National
Center on Birth Defects and Developmental
Disabilities, 1 in 54 Utah children are
diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder
(ASD). This is higher than the national
average of 1 in 68 children (Tracking).
When diagnosing ASD, an assessment is
performed by a professional trained in the
field. This assessment has very detailed
criteria for the assessment of ASD
including six of more problems from areas
such as socialization, communication, and
repetitive or inflexible behaviors. These
problems could be very obvious in most
situations or only apparent in certain
situations. As Autism Spectrum Disorder
implies, there is a large range of abilities
within the ASD diagnosis. Because of this
spectrum of abilities, intervention
techniques for ASD must be dynamic and
be able to adapt to the abilities of the
individual. The most common
intervention service provided for children
with ASD is Applied Behavior Analysis
(ABA) (Leaf et al.).
(continued on p. 2)

Alan Sydney Patrick Rickman was born on

February 21, 1946 in West London,
England. Alan was born as the second of
four children and later recalled his early
years as impoverished but very happy, until
his father died of lung cancer when young
Alan was just 8 years old
(biography.com). His acting career began
young as Alan was a part of several school
plays at Latymer Upper School in London.
He then continued his education at Chelsea
College of Art and Design and the Royal
College of Art. He graduated with a degree
in Graphic Design and started a company
short after graduation with a few friends.
(continued on p. 4)

Applied Behavior
Analysis: The
Costs and Benefits
In Utah 1 in 54 children are diagnosed
with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD);
this is higher than the national average of 1
in 68 children (Tracking). ASD is
diagnosed after an assessment identifying
elements of the childs life that interfere
with normal development in areas such as
socialization, communication, and
repetitive/inflexible behaviors. Individuals
with ASD have a wide range of abilities.
To illustrate this, consider the following
two students with ASD. For privacy, we
will call them Bill and Joe. Bill is an eightyear-old boy who loves dumping things out
and blankets. After years of therapeutic
interventions, Bill started to sign more
and cow. (continued on p. 2)

An image of Jackie Robinson sliding onto the

base.

Review: The Jackie

Robinson Story
The Jackie Robinson Story is a film
directed by Alfred E. Green and is written
by Arthur Mann and Lawrence Taylor.
This film was released in 1950 and is 1
hour and 16 minutes in length. This film
addresses areas such as racism and
segregation via a true story describing the
history of American baseball.
The Jackie Robinson Story begins
by showing some key scenes from Jackie
Robinsons childhood including receiving
his first baseball glove as a gift, carrying it
around with him, and beginning his college
at Pasadena Junior College and later
UCLA. He does well with college athletics
and starts a job working for the army as an
Athletic Director. When the war ends,
Jackie plays for the Black Panthers of the
Negro Baseball League. He later receives
an offer to play for the Montreal team of
the International League. Even with the
constant racism and rude comments from
fans, he does well his first season for
Montreal. But can he handle it for the
Dodgers? As a very un-educated person
when it comes to baseball and the history
of the sport, this film was very
informational.
(continued on p. 2)

What is Applied Behavior

Analysis? Contd

Review: The Jackie

Robinson Story, contd

Put simply ABA is a scientific

approach for understanding behavior and
using that understanding to increase
behaviors that will improve the lives of
individuals. ABA methods can be used to
increase the occurrence of any behavior,
from abstract things such as appropriate
social skills to more discrete things like
identifying colors. This intervention
technique can be used with students with
ASD or without (although the majority of
people who receive ABA services have
ASD) and is dynamic enough to fit the
range of abilities seen within the ASD
diagnosis.
The beginnings of ABA are often
credited to the work of O. Ivar Lovaas. He
was one of the founders of the parent
organization that is now known as the
Autism Society of America. As a professor
at UCLA, he spent nearly 50 years
researching methods to improve the lives of
children with ASD. Lovaas published
articles on the three main areas of ABA:
relating the antecedent and consequence to
the behavior, analyzing data to improve
interventions, and positive reinforcements
increasing behaviors (Smith). Lovaas
published a study in 1987 in the Journal of
Consulting and Clinical Psychology. This
study showed that 90% of children
dramatically improved through ABA (when
compared to the control group). Almost
50% of these children increased to a normal
IQ and tested within the normal range on
adaptive and social skills testing (Lovaas).
Within this report, Lovaas described 9 of
the 19 intensively treated children as
normal-functioning (Smith). Especially
at this point in history, this successful
intervention was influential in improving
the lives of people with ASD.
While Lovaas found great success in
the late 1900s with his clinical trials, is
ABA still successful in helping people with
ASD? In a personal interview with Becky
Hoffmann, a mom of a child with ASD,
some of the effects of ABA interventions
were described:
After only a month of ABA, [name
removed for privacy] is able to
communicate her wants and needs more
than ever before. Before ABA, she
wouldnt play with any of her toys by
herself. Now I find her playing
independently and enjoying her toys. She

This film allowed me to grasp a thorough

understanding of the experience of Jackie
Robinson, the first Negro player in
organized, professional baseball. The
racism he experienced in this film was
heart breaking. The film uses the rhetorical
element of pathos with the set-up. The film
begins with a heart warming scene of a
young Jackie Robinson being given a
baseball glove by a White man as he shows
up the other boys, all White, without a
glove. He runs home and asks his mom to
sew the glove with a big grin on his face.
The film then proceeds to show the glove
in various scenes of his childhood, shining
shoes and delivering mail. This showed
me how important baseball was to him,
even though the chances of him ever
playing professionally were slim to none at
the time. After becoming attached to
young Jackie Robinson, the film shows
him succeeding in college only to not play
his favorite sport: baseball.
As young Jackie Robinson attempts
to provide for his girlfriend, Rae, and find a
job, I was on the edge of my seat: waiting
for the results of his job search. As he
opens a letter from the U.S. President,
offering a job for the army, I was finally
able to relax as things were looking up for
Jackie. After the war, when Jackie starts
playing for the Black Panthers and is then
offered a contract by Montreal, the
excitement of his success continues to
grow. As well as the excitement associated
with his success, I started to have a
protective response to Jackie Robinson and
the racism he experienced in everyday
situations such as ordering food at a
restaurant.
While discussing his possible
contract, Mr. Rickey, the representative
from Montreal tells Jackie that he must not
fight back to the racism. Jackie and Mr.
Rickey have the following interaction:
Mr. Rickey, do you want a ball player
whos afraid to fight back? I want a ball
player with guts enough not to fight back.
After combating some of his teammates
racism during spring training, the team
shows up to their first game to find it
canceled. Credit given to the city
ordinance relating to prohibition of sports
events between white and colored. During
their next game, Jackie is immediately
booed as he enters the field to bat. But,

An image of a therapist playing with a child

during an Applied Behavior Analysis session.

Applied Behavior
Analysis: The Costs and
Benefits, contd
He has academic goals such as identifying
colors and the letters in his name. Joe was
also an eight year old boy with ASD. Joe
enjoyed his weekly karate class and
playing Minecraft. After years of
therapeutic interventions, Joe is now able
to manage his anger and process through
emotions. His aggressive outbursts are
rare now. He has academic goals such as
graphing a linear equation and
understanding the scientific method. Both
Bill and Joe have ASD, but their abilities
are very different. Both Bill and Joe
received a therapeutic intervention called
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).
Because ASD is a disability that will stay
with an individual for their lifetime,
interventions to improve the lives of those
with ASD are important. Interventions
such as ABA are as important to
individuals with ASD as a wheelchair is
for individuals with paralysis. While other
interventions such as speech therapy and
occupational therapy are important, ABA
is the leading therapeutic intervention for
children with ASD (Leaf et al.). Put
simply, ABA is a scientific approach for
understanding behavior and using that
understanding to increase behaviors that
will improve the lives of individuals.
With research dating back to 1987
when O. Ivar Lovaas published a study in
the Journal of Consulting and Clinical
Psychology describing his success with
ABA, it is understandable that ABA would
be the leading intervention (Lovaas). This
success that Lovaas found in 1987
continues today. In a personal interview
with Becky Hoffmann, a mother of a girl
with ASD, a few of the effects of her
daughters ABA therapy were described:
After only a month of ABA, [name
removed for privacy] is able to
communicate her wants and needs more
than ever before. Before ABA, she

makes eye contact with her family

members now and enjoys spending time
with us. (Hoffmann)
This individual has made progress with
communication, play, and social skills. In
a personal interview with Hannah Johnson,
an ABA therapist, some different impacts
of ABA were described. I work with one
child who needs academic help to remove
frustrations in his school classroom. In just
a few weeks, he has learned all 26 letters
and sounds as well as how to count to
twenty. I also work with this child on
handling emotions such as frustration,
jealousy, and anxiety. His parents have
reported a big improvement in his overall
happiness at home and his school teachers
have reported a dramatic decrease in
problem behaviors (Johnson). As these
examples illustrate, while every child with
ASD has unique abilities and needs the
principles of ABA can help improve their
daily lives and give them greater access to
the community.
More recent studies have found
similar success stories with ABA
interventions. The most effective ABA
must be implemented with the correct
dosage, be comprehensive, and
implemented by adequately trained staff
(Leaf). As Lovaas found, the data taken
during an ABA session allows a Board
Certified Behavior Analyst to see the
effects of various interventions. This data
allows for precise therapy that is
scientifically dynamic. This data suggests
new interventions to try, allows for databased decisions on the amount of therapy,
provides feedback on the
comprehensiveness and cohesiveness of the
therapy as a whole, insights into staff
training, reasoning behind problem
behaviors, etc. The data analysis sets ABA
apart from other interventions, as well as
from most educational methods.
Along with the effectiveness of data
analysis, ABA methods include training for
parents of children with ASD. This
training allows for cohesion between
therapists and parents and removes
confusion for the child. In the interview
with Becky Hoffmann, she described some
of the challenges involved in raising a child
with ASD. She described a long-term
pinching behavior her daughter engaged in
often. This mother described her
frustration after three years of trying
various parenting methods and having no
success in reducing this behavior. This

wouldnt play with any of her toys by

herself. Now I find her playing
independently and enjoying her toys. She
makes eye contact with her family
members now and enjoys spending time
with us. (Hoffmann)
This girl with ASD has made
improvements in independent play and
social skills that might not have been
possible without ABA. Success stories like
this are frequent within ABA.
While ABA has research proving
its success for almost thirty years, many
individuals with ASD arent able to access
the wealth of success ABA has to offer
them. ABA costs between $30-$120 an
hour, depending on the services being
rendered. Most ABA falls near the $30 an
hour range. The most effective ABA
occurs at the proper dosage for the
individual, ranging from 25-40 hours a
week (Leaf et al.). Doing some basic
arithmetic, $30 an hour for 25 hours a
week, 50 weeks a year calculates to
$37,500 a year in ABA expenses. For the
children who need more services than $30
an hour can offer, or for the children whose
proper dosage is 40 hours a week, this
annual cost increases dramatically. Using
the lowest, effective cost of ABA as
$37,500 a year, this therapy isnt affordable
for a lot of families.
Having a child with ASD is a
financial burden for any family.
Communication devices such as iPads,
items to assist with sensory overload such
as weighted blankets and vests, and other
costs specific to each child with ASD can
be a financial burden on a family. In the
interview with Becky Hoffmann, she
described some of their extra expenses to
help her daughter.
[name removed for privacy] has two iPads,
one for her communication app which
enables her to communicate her needs, and
one for her movies. When she gets
overwhelmed or scared, which can happen
because of noises or slight changes in
lighting, her movies are the only thing that
can help her calm down. While these two
devices are absolutely necessary for her to
have a happy day, with the iPads and cases
they total over $1500. She also enjoys
rhythmic motions. When she was younger,
we were able to keep a small swing inside
the house. As she got older, the small
swing was too small and we had to upgrade
to a special needs swing that supports her
body weight. This swing alone was $600.

unlike what most people wouldve done in

that situation, he held his tongue and
played the game of baseball. As the film
continues, I saw many instances of racism
and rudeness that I would not have been
able to hold my tongue as Jackie does.
As he succeeded in baseball and the
comments continued, I grew more excited
for Jackie and more irritated with the
history of racism.
Along with a great plot to entice the
audience and help me feel attached to
Jackie Robinson as a character, this film
used many techniques to add feeling to the
film. Between the sound effects and music,
the film uses techniques to increase
emotional responses. One example of this
is near the end of the film, when a player
heads up to the base and hits his bat on the
base with an accompanying doink! noise.
When the pitcher throws the ball and the
ball is hit, the music switches to match the
mood. This film was full of thematic
content such as racism and the historical
element of baseball. Depending on the
viewers experience with racism and
movements towards equality, the response
may be different. As someone with
minimal experience and knowledge of
racism in American history, I had a
minimally angry response to the film. I
would expect someone who experienced
similar things to the comments displayed in
the film would have a stronger response.
After reviewing the film, The Jackie
Robinson Story, which describes the
history of Jackie Robinson and his journey
to become the first Black Major League
Baseball player, I would highly
recommend the film. This film is
appropriate for educational purposes to
serve as a vivid example of this time period
in American history. It is also appropriate
for entertainment purposes as it will
captivate your attention as you fall into a
dramatic plot of success in the feat of trials.
The Jackie Robinson Story combines
effective film techniques and thematic
elements to deliver a representation of the
true story behind the success of Jackie
Robinson and the integration of the Major
League of Baseball.

Alan Rickman:
Biography
In 1965, while at the amateur Group
Court Drama Club, he met his future wife

changed when her daughter began ABA

therapy. With an intervention plan put in
place by a trained behaviorist, and
consistent application of this plan from
both the therapists and parents, the
pinching behavior decreased quickly.
Within a few days of both parents and
therapists responding in a data-driven way,
the pinching had stopped entirely
(Hoffmann). The parent training within
ABA is another component that separates
ABA from other interventions.
In the interview with Hannah
Johnson, she described a few examples of
how ABA had impacted the lives of
individuals with ASD. Some of her
examples included teaching a nine year old
boy to say his first words and teaching a
sixteen year old boy the social skills
necessary to take a girl on a date (Johnson).
Especially in Utah, with 1 in 54 children
diagnosed with ASD, interventions that can
positively impact the lives of individuals
with ASD are important (Tracking).
Because of the data driven methodology
and interventions, the dynamic abilities and
range of skills able to be taught within
ABA, and the parent involvement in ABA;
ABA is the most common intervention
technique for children with ASD. Applied
Behavior Analysis has made dramatic
improvements in the lives of people with
ASD in the past, and ABA continues to
improve the lives of people with Autism
Spectrum Disorder.

References
"Alan Rickman." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 29
July 2016.
Biography.com Editors. "Alan Rickman
Biography." The Biography.com Website.
A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 29
July 2016.
Hoffmann, Becky. Personal interview. 3 July
2016.
"Household Income: HINC-01." Household
Income: HINC-01. United States Census
Bureau, n.d. Web. 15 July 2016.
Johnson, Hannah. Personal interview. 3 July 2016.
Leaf, Justin B., Ronald Leaf, John Mceachin,
Mitchell Taubman, Shahla AlaIRosales, Robert K. Ross, Tristram
Smith, and Mary Jane Weiss. "Applied
Behavior Analysis Is a Science And,
Therefore, Progressive." J Autism Dev
Disord Journal of Autism and
Developmental Disorders 46.2 (2015):
720-31. Web. 8 July 2016.
Lovaas, O. Ivar. "Behavioral Treatment and
Normal Educational and Intellectual
Functioning in Young Autistic
Children." Journal of Consulting and

(Hoffmann)
As I found in my interview, individuals
with ASD have special needs that often
require expensive equipment. With the
median income reported by the 2014
census as $53,657, expecting the average
family to spend $37,500 in ABA costs (as
well as the special needs of their child) is
unrealistic (Household).
Besides paying entirely out-ofpocket, there are two frequent options
utilized by families. Autism Waivers and
health insurance coverage are the two most
frequent payment options utilized by the
families I work with. Autism Waivers are
given out by the state, if that state has
instigated a program for it. These waivers
often have a waiting list and are difficult to
apply and qualify for. Along with the
option of paying out-of-pocket, Autism
Waivers are often not available and not
attainable for many individuals with ASD.
The last, and most frequently used
option for payment by the families I work
with, is health insurance coverage. Just as
health insurances cover wheelchairs for
individuals with paralysis, some health
insurances cover ABA therapy for
individuals with ASD who would benefit
from this therapy. While I congratulate the
health insurance companies who cover
ABA therapy, there are many health
insurances that dont cover this therapy.
Especially in Utah, with 1 in 54
children diagnosed with ASD, the
availability of ABA as an intervention for
ASD is a timely issue. Applied Behavior
Analysis has made impressive
improvements in the lives of individuals
with Autism Spectrum Disorder and
continues to improve the lives of
individuals. As the leading therapy for
children with Autism Spectrum Disorder,
Applied Behavior Analysis therapy should
be covered by all health insurance
companies for all individuals with Autism
Spectrum Disorder (Leaf et al.).

Rima Horton. Beginning at the bottom of

the cooperate ladder for acting, Alan
worked at the Royal Academy of Dramatic
Art for two years working mostly as a set
dresser. A few years later, in 1978, Alan
joined the Royal Shakespeare Company
and had a role in The Tempest and Loves
Labours Lost. He then continued with
radio drams and repertory theater until his
role of Le Cicomte de Valmont in Les
Liasons Dangereuses. Alan did so well in
this playwright that he later won a Tony
Award nomination (biography.com).
Alan Rickman starred in many
movies, TV movies, TV series, TV miniseries, and documentaries between 1978
and 2000: Romeo and Juliet, Therese
Raquin, Shelley, Smileys People, The
Barchester Chronicles, Busted, Summer
Season, Girls on Top, Die Hard, The
January Man, Theatre Night, Screenplay,
Revolutionary Witness, Quigley Down
Under, Truly Madly Deeply, Closet Land,
Robin Hood, Close My Eyes, Bob Roberts,
Fallen Angels, Mesmer, An Awfully Big
Adventure, Sense and Sensibility,
Rasputin, Michael Collins, The Winter
Guest, Judas Kiss, Dark Harbor, Dogma,
Galaxy Quest, Texas, A Fish Tale, Blow
Dry, We Know Where You Live, and Play.
While he had a lot of huge success in the
film industry in his early career, most
people know Alan Rickman for his role in
his films after 2000. Some of these films
include the Harry Potter Series, Love
Actually, King of the Hill, Alice in
Wonderland, and Alice Through the
Looking Glass (Alan). During his later
films, Alan Rickman played mostly major
roles and became a well known actor.
In the film, Harry Potter, Alan
Rickman played the main role of Severus
Snape: a potions teacher at Hogwarts, the
main setting for the eight movie series.
The film series was based on the book
series written by J.K. Rowling, who
specifically wanted Alan Rickman to play
the role of Severus Snape (biography.com).
A quote from Alan Rickman himself about
playing the role is described:
I said to Jo Rowling, Look, I cant play
him unless I know him, the actor recalled.
She then gave me this elliptical piece of
information that I didnt really understand
at first. It was information she hadnt told
anyone else, not even her sister, but it gave
me what I needed to take on Snape.
(biography.com)
Along with playing major roles in

Clinical Psychology 55.1 (1987): 3-9.

Web. 8 July 2016.
Robinson Playing under the Boston Braves. Digital
image. The Full Count. N.p., n.d. Web. 2
Aug. 2016.
Robinson, Tasha. "Remembering Alan Rickman,
the Voice of Villainy." The Verge. Vox
Media, 14 Jan. 2016. Web. 29 July 2016.
Scrabble tiles spelling the term Applied Behavior
Analysis. Digital image.Tumblr. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 2 Aug. 2016.
Smith, Tristram, and Svein Eikeseth. "O. Ivar
Lovaas: Pioneer Of Applied Behavior
Analysis And Intervention For Children
With Autism." Journal Of Autism &
Developmental Disorders 41.3 (2011):
375-378. Academic Search Premier.
Web. 8 July 2016.
Therapist playing with client during Applied
Behavior Analysis session. Digital
image. Baucom Behavioral. Baucom
Behavioral & Educational Services, n.d.
Web. 2 Aug. 2016.
Tracking Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other
Developmental Disabilities in Utah:
What You Need To Know." Atlanta:
National Center on Birth Defects and
Developmental Disabilties, n.d. Web. 8
July 2016.

films, Alan Rickman had a full life offscreen. He secretly married Rima Horton
in 2012 and described it as great, because
no one was there. After the ceremony in
New York, we walked across the Brooklyn
Bridge and ate lunch (biography.com).
Alan Rickman was also the Honorary
President of the International Performers
Aid Trust: an organization that aides
artists and performers around the world
who are challenged by poverty
(biography.com). Alan Rickman died in
London on January 14, 2016. He died
from cancer and is missed by many
collaborators and fans.