The effects of script -fading and a Lag -1 schedule on varied social responding in children with autism.
Item
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Title
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The effects of script -fading and a Lag -1 schedule on varied social responding in children with autism.
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Identifier
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AAI3231983
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identifier
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3231983
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Creator
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Lee, Ronald.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Peter Sturmey
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Date
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2006
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Behavioral | Education, Special | Psychology, Clinical
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Abstract
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Individuals with autism have significant deficits in speech and social skills. Script-fading procedures have been shown to be an effective means for increasing conversational skills and unscripted statements in individuals with autism. Nevertheless, the effects of these procedures on varied language in the context of conversations remain unclear. The present study investigated the effects of a script-fading procedure and a treatment package consisting of a Lag-1 reinforcement schedule with repeated trials contingent on the occurrence of repeated responses on varied responding during brief conversations by one girl and two boys with autism. Varied responding was defined as any vocal response that differed from the response emitted on the previous trial. The effects of the interventions were evaluated in the context of a multiple-baseline-across-participants design. The study took place in a school program for students with autism. During baseline (Lag-0), the experimenter engaged the participant in a three-turn conversation and reinforced appropriate responding. During scripting and the subsequent fading of the script, the participants were given audio taped models to imitate during the same three-turn conversation. During Lag-1 with repeated trials contingent on repeated responses, reinforcement was delivered contingent on variations in any part of the social conversation. Contingent on repetitive responding, the same experimenter-delivered antecedent was repeated for up to 5 trials or until an appropriate and varied response was emitted. The results showed that during the baseline Lag-0, low levels of appropriate and varied responding were observed. Scripting resulted in an increase in appropriate and varied responding. With the return to Lag-0, appropriate responding remained high, but appropriate and varied responding decreased to baseline levels. During Lag-1 with repeated trials, varied and appropriate responding increased to levels analogous to that obtained during scripting. Generalization of varied responding to different settings, people, and conversations was not observed. The results of a social validity scale showed that the participants were rated as having better social and language skills following exposure to the Lag-1 with repeated trials correction procedure. These results are discussed in terms of extinction-induced variability and stimulus control.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
