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| #346 Poster Session – VRB |
| Monday, May 31, 2004 |
| 12:00 PM–1:30 PM |
| Exhibit Hall D (Hynes) |
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| 129. Teaching Intraverbal Behavior Using Stimulus Differences with two Children with Autistic and Pervasive Developmental Disorders |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
| MARIA F. WYNNE (Gonzaga University), Kimberly P. Weber (Gonzaga University), K. Mark Derby (Gonzaga University) |
| Abstract: This study evaluated the effects of using stimulus differences to teach intraverbal behavior to two children with autism and pervasive developmental disorders. Using a multiple baseline design, different classes of behavior, play, personal, social, and school activities were targeted for change. During baseline conditions the participants did not respond to intraverbal questions using complete sentences. Five different instructional antecedent questions per class of behavior were then shown to increase the participants’ verbal responses. Prompts were then faded to a no prompt condition and the participants answered an average of 96% of the questions accurately. During follow-up, the participants accurately responded using complete sentences 97% of the time. |
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| 130. Sight Reading and Phonics: A Combined Approach for Teaching Textual Behavior to Children with Autism |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
| JOSEPH H. CIHON (Special School District of St. Louis County), Nicole Adams (Special School District of St. Louis County), Traci M. Cihon (Special School District of St. Louis County), Guy M. Bedient (Special School District of St. Louis County) |
| Abstract: Children are often taught textual behavior through sight-based or phonetic-based procedures independent of one another. Researchers attempted to simultaneously implement both procedures to produce the desirable outcome. Data suggest that combining both approaches generates progress toward a maximal textual repertoire. |
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| 131. Contingent Access: Putting the Fun in Functional Language |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
| RACHEL M. HUCKFELDT (Special School District of St. Louis County), Guy M. Bedient (Special School District of St. Louis County) |
| Abstract: Natural Language Paradigm (NLP) approaches argue that following-the-student's-lead often produces non-aversive learning episodes as opposed to Discrete Trial Training (DTT) procedures that may result in over-prompting and produce negative results. Rather than prompting, exinction was used as an establishing operation to motivate minimal manding responses that could then be shaped to more advanced manding responses. This procedure utilized: differential reinforcement, variable effort programming, anticipation, and waiting. Data show that utilizing this procedure progressively shaped mands from eye-contact to multi-word vocalizations. |
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| 132. Analysis of Three Reinforcement Procedures in Teaching Receptive Language Skills to Children with Autism |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
| MANDY PARTEN (Louisiana State University), Laura R. Addison (Louisiana State University), Dorothea C. Lerman (Louisiana State University), Valerie M. Volkert (Louisiana State University), Nicole M. Trosclair-Lasserre (Louisiana State University), Tiffany Kodak (Louisiana State University) |
| Abstract: The differential outcomes effect (DOE) refers to the finding that performance in discrimination training improves when different behaviors produce different reinforcers. In this study, we compared the effects of two DOE procedures on the acquisition of receptive language skills with 4 children diagnosed with autism. The children were presented with two toy or food items and asked to give the experimenter the item named. The names consisted of three-letter nonsense syllables. Correct responses were followed by one of the following consequences: (a) the opportunity to manipulate or consume the item to which the child correctly responded; (b) the opportunity to manipulate or consume a third item that was unique to that label but was never one of the two test items in the pair; or (c) randomized access to one of two various third items (no-DOE condition). Interobserver agreement was collected during at least 25% of the sessions for each participant, and exact agreement always exceeded 85%. Generally, acquisition was similar across the three conditions, but some children showed slightly slower rates of acquisition under the no-DOE condition. |
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| 133. Comparing Mass Trial Teaching Procedures to Interspersal Teaching Procedures in the Acquisition of Intraverbals |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
| AMANDA MASSEY-MCLAUGHLIN (University of Nevada, Reno), Linda J. Parrott Hayes (University of Nevada, Reno), Rachel S. F. Tarbox (University of Nevada, Reno) |
| Abstract: The purpose of the current investigation was to evaluate the effects of using an interspersal teaching procedure as compared to a mass trial teaching procedure in the acquisition of intraverbals. Three children with autism participated. Results demonstrated that two of the children acquired intraverbals more quickly in the interspersal conditions than in the mass trial condition. One child, however, acquired intraverbals more quickly in the mass trial condition. Overall the children responded better to the interspersal teaching procedure. This study may be useful for teachers and clinicians working with children with autism and related disabilities. Results may help identify procedures that would best benefit individual children’s acquisition of language. |
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| 134. Effects of Modeling versus Instructions on Schedule Sensitivity |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
| SUMMER FERRERI (The Ohio State University), Julie Marckel (The Ohio State University), Nancy A. Neef (The Ohio State University), Sunhwa Jung (The Ohio State University), Lindsay M. Nist (The Ohio State University), Nancy M. Armstrong (The Ohio State University) |
| Abstract: This study examined the effects of modeling versus instructions on the choices of 6 elementary school students whose academic responding showed insensitivity to reinforcement schedules. During baseline, students chose between successively presented pairs of mathematics problems associated with different variable interval schedules of reinforcement. After responding proved insensitive to the schedules of reinforcement, sessions were preceded by either instructions or modeling, counterbalanced across students in a multiple baseline design across subject groups. During the instruction condition, students were told how to distribute responding to earn the most reinforcers. During the modeling condition, students observed the experimenter performing the task as she tacted her distribution of responding to obtain the most reinforcers. Once responding approximated obtained reinforcement under either condition, the schedules of reinforcement were changed, and neither instruction nor modeling was provided. Both instruction and modeling interventions quickly produced patterns of response allocation that approximated obtained rates of reinforcement, but responding established with modeling was more sensitive to subsequent changes in the reinforcement schedules than responding established with instructions. Procedural integrity was assessed for 25% of the modeling sessions across participants. |
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| 135. The Use of Hidden Objects and Echoic Prompts to Teach Students to Ask Questions |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
| YUKO USUI (Columbia University), Monica L. Chen (Columbia University) |
| Abstract: This study, which was a modified replication of Williams, Donley and Keller (2002)’s study, investigated the effectiveness of the use of hidden objects and echoic prompts to teach 4 preschool students to ask 3 questions about hidden items in a box. The participants were four 4 year-old male students with emergent reader/writer levels of verbal behavior. A delayed multiple baseline design across subjects was used. Three questions, “What’s that?” “Can I see it?” and “Can I have it?” were taught sequentially through training sessions, during which the experimenters presented a box with a toy inside it and gave the participant echoic prompts. Generalization probe sessions were also conducted by a different instructor after the participant met criterion on each question. All interobserver agreement scores collected during baseline and training sessions were 100%. Baseline data showed that all participants did not ask any questions except during 2 sessions. However, they learned to ask all 3 forms of questions within 3-5 sessions. In addition, all participants asked all 3 question forms during all the probe sessions. The results of this study demonstrated a functional relationship between the participants’ question asking behavior and the use of hidden objects and echoic prompts. |
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| 136. Effects of Verbal Descriptions on Rule-Generation and its Relationship with Non-verbal Behaviour |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
| MARIA LUISA CEPEDA ISLAS (National Autonomous University of Mexico), Diana Moreno Rodríguez (National Autonomous University of Mexico), Patricia Plancarte (National Autonomous University of Mexico), Rosalinda Arroyo (National Autonomous University of Mexico), Alfredo Lopez (National Autonomous University of Mexico), Hortensia Hickman (National Autonomous University of Mexico), Olivia Tena (National Autonomous University of Mexico) |
| Abstract: This paper assessed the verbal descriptions' effect and its possible synchronic entailment with the process of acquisition, transfer and formulation of general performance rules in a matching-to-sample task with children. Using a yoked group design, 10 children with low referential level were selected and arranged in two groups (experimental and control yoked). The experimental task consisted of first order matching-to-sample arrangements. Only the subjects from the experimental group were exposed to incomplete texts every 3 trials, these texts pretended to foster self-reference. To assess the possible transfer of responses to non-trained stimuli conditions, the subjects were exposed to three tests at the end of the training phases. When all the sessions were ended, the subjects were asked to write the general performance rule. The results are discussed regarding the relationship among verbal and instrumental behaviour, and the rule's modulating effects over performance. |
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| 137. Rupture or Change of the Sensibility to the Contingencies and the Paper of the Automatic Contingencies |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
| INMACULADA GOMEZ BECERRA (University of Almeria, Spain), Nieves Lopez (University of Almeria, Spain) |
| Abstract: This work is framed in the study from the insensibility to the contingencies and its implication in the analysis of the verbal behavior. The objectives of this work are: in the first place, to prove the effectiveness of different procedures to generate rupture or change in the patterns of sensibility and, in second place, to detect the possible differential effects of the automatic contingencies that bear two experimental tasks. The participants of this study were eight university students of 18 to 22 years old. A design intrasubject multivariable was applied with replications through subjects. Through two experimental tasks the relative variables were manipulated to the changes in the programmed contingencies (reinforcement programs, extinction and response cost), changes in the rules (in agreement or non chords) and amplification of contextual (verbal) cues. The results show as more effective procedures to break certain levels of insensibility the use of contextual cues in amplification form or changes in the proportionate rules, and the application of drastic changes in the programmed contingencies (high levels of losses). The absence of differential effects of the automatic contingencies characteristic of the experimental tasks is shown. |
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| 138. Analog Demonstration of "Confusion" in Second Language Acquisition |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
| YUKIKO WASHIO (University of Nevada, Reno), Ramona Houmanfar (University of Nevada, Reno) |
| Abstract: Many learners of second language acquisition tend to become confused when they try to use the second language in the natural environment after they learned explicit rules of grammar in a structured teaching environment. This phenomenon occurs in the natural environment where contextual stimuli are more subtle and complex than those in the teaching environment. An analog demonstration was designed with a computer program in which English speaking participants were taught Japanese through the match-to-sample procedure, and equivalent relations were established and tested. In the subsequent training phase, the participants were trained to make discriminations among the learned relations based on explicit contextual stimuli (i.e. location, topography and sequence of stimulus presentation). “Confusion” was established in testing conditions in which participants were presented with implicit and complex contextual stimuli. This presentation will include a data based demonstration and discussion of the experimental results. |
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| 139. Increasing Desirable Spousal Social Behaviors Using Reinforcement and Extinction |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
| CAROL KOCHHEISER (The Ohio State University), Lloyd D. Peterson (The Ohio State University) |
| Abstract: This study evaluated the effects of extinction for undesirable social comments and praise for desirable social comments for a 51-year-old male. Baseline data were collected on the number of desirable and undesirable comments the participant made towards his spouse. During baseline, the participant’s spouse responded to his undesirable comments as she typically would, which appeared to reinforce this undesirable behavior. Next, the participant’s spouse praised his desirable comments, and undesirable comments were ignored. This resulted in an increase in desirable comments and a decrease in undesirable comments. Following a return to baseline, extinction was implemented alone, which produced high rates of undesirable comments and low rates of desirable comments. Finally, praise and extinction were once again implemented together, which produced high rates of desirable comments and low rates of undesirable comments. The results of this study will be discussed in relation to the importance of pairing reinforcement with extinction procedures. When extinction was used by itself, an extinction burst was observed. When extinction was paired with reinforcement for alternative behavior, rapid increase for desirable and rapid decrease for undesirable behavior were observed. Such effects may be important considerations when designing intervention to be implemented by family members in home settings. |
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| 140. Treatment of Severe Chronic Aphasia with Backward Chaining and Pperant Conditioning |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
| Z. GABRIELA SIGURDARDOTTIR (University of Iceland), Magnus Sighvatsson Blondahl (University of Iceland) |
| Abstract: Two males with stroke-caused severe chronic aphasia received treatment based on backward chaining and reinforcement. Neither participant could imitate sounds. They were able to imitate movements of speech organs, however, only one of them could reliably follow instructions about how to move them. Treatment effects were evaluated with a multiple-baseline design across behaviors. With one participant, treatment was applied to performances in three tasks but only to performances in two tasks with the other participant. Treatment variables were clearly defined and systematically used in standard ways across participants and tasks. Clearly defined criteria for fading prompts in or out were used. Prompts were faded out as performances improved. Mean inter-scorer agreement for dependent variables with one participant is 96% in all variables. With the other participant it is 95.3%-98.3%. Mean inter-scorer agreement for experimenter’s use of correct prompt with one participant is 99.5%-100%. With the other participant, it was 100% in both tasks. The performances of both participants have improved very slowly and they are all still prompt dependent, however, one participant has improved faster. In addition, an analysis of stimulus control of the performances of the other participant led to application of treatment to a prerequisite performance. |
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| 141. Reducing "Psychotic" Verbal Behavior |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
| INGVIL RO TOENNESSEN (Grim Project, Norway), Grete Brouwer (Grim Project, Norway), Erik Arntzen (Akershus University College, Norway) |
| Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to train different verbal classes in a 44-year old woman. She had been hospitalized for 18 years in different psychiatric institutions, and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, developmental disabilities, non-organic psychosis, and autism. Assessment of her verbal behavior showed that a very small amount was adequate verbal behavior, whereas about 90 % could be characterized as “psychotic” verbal behavior. She was trained to produce different verbal classes, mainly mand, tact, intraverbal, textual and dictation responses. It was interesting to study how the “psychotic” verbal behavior was reduced as function of increasing number of adequate verbal responses. |
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| 142. Celeration Analysis of Verbal Behavior Research Papers Presented at ABA 1975-present |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Research |
| JOHN W. ESHLEMAN (APEX Consulting) |
| Abstract: This data-based poster presents a series of yearly Standard Celeration Charts describing various trends in the presentation of verbal behavior research at the Association for Behavior Analysis conventions from 1975 - 2003. Charts include frequencies of: (1) papers using verbal operant terms from B.F. Skinner’s book Verbal Behavior in their titles, (2) papers specifically coded as VRB, (3) “formal experiment” and discussion papers, and (4) the overall number of verbal behavior presentations (1,489). For reliability, the public-domain ABA convention programs served as the archival research database. The data show an overall celeration of x1.2 for papers pertaining to Skinner’s analysis, for a total of 312 such presentations, with an explosive x4 most-recent celeration since 1997. This suggests that a vibrant research base exists, especially research related to Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior, and further substantiates that the erstwhile lack of such research has ended. However, these trends also reveal that (1) the most prominent verbal operant category researched has been manding, and (2) that relatively few of these papers appear to have been published in mainstream behavioral journals. Various possible explanations of these trends are presented. A reference list of the 312 papers pertaining to Skinner’s analysis is included. |
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