|
| Basic and Applied Research on Skinner's Verbal Behavior Taxonomy |
| Sunday, May 30, 2004 |
| 9:00 AM–10:20 AM |
| Independence West |
| Area: VBC/AUT; Domain: Applied Research |
| Chair: Dorothea C. Lerman (Louisiana State University) |
| Abstract: . |
| |
| Task Interspersal Procedures and the Acquisition of Tacts in Children with Autism |
| VALERIE M. VOLKERT (Louisiana State University), Dorothea C. Lerman (Louisiana State University) |
| Abstract: Task interspersal procedures have been shown to enhance the performance of individuals with developmental disabilities. However, few studies have examined the benefits of interspersal procedures for teaching verbal behavior, such as tacts, or have explored whether the type of maintenance task that is interspersed matters. In this study, three children with autism were taught a variety of tacts under three conditions -- constant training, interspersal training with known tacts, and interspersal training with known motor responses -- alternated in multielement and reversals designs. Results showed no significant differences in the acquisition of unknown tacts across the conditions, although the overall number of trials to mastery was higher when known tacts were interspersed with unknown tacts. In several instances, acquisition in the constant condition was superior to acquisition in the interspersal conditions. These results suggest that the type of interspersed task may not matter when teaching tacts and that interspersal procedures may be superfluous when potent reinforcers are delivered for correct responses. |
| |
| A Methodology for Assessing the Functions of Emerging Speech in Children with Autism |
| DOROTHEA C. LERMAN (Louisiana State University), Mandy Parten (Louisiana State University), Laura R. Addison (Louisiana State University), Christina M. Vorndran (Louisiana State University), Tiffany Kodak (Louisiana State University) |
| Abstract: Only about one-half of children with autism acquire some speech as a mode of communication. An approach based on Skinner's theory of verbal behavior (Skinner, 1957) has been developed to understand and teach elementary expressive language skills to children with autism and developmental disabilities (Sundberg & Partington, 1998). However, few studies have directly examined the characteristics of emerging language in children with developmental disabilities. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate an assessment for identifying the elementary functions of emerging vocal speech in children. Participants were 3 children diagnosed with autism, aged 6 years to 12 years, who exhibited at least one distinguishable vocal response (word or phrase) frequently in the natural environment. The assessment focused on the four main verbal operants identified by Skinner (mand, tact, echoic, and interaverbal). One or more functions were identified for each verbal response. Results suggested that this assessment would be useful for (a) evaluating Skinner's theory, (b) guiding decisions about language training for individual children, and (c) studying the nature of expressive language development in children with developmental disabilities. |
| |
| On the Functional Independence of Novel Mands and Tacts in Preschool Children |
| ANNA I. PETURSDOTTIR (Western Michigan University), John L. Michael (Western Michigan University), James E. Carr (Western Michigan University) |
| Abstract: This experiment was a systematic replication of an investigation by Lamarre and Holland (1985) who demonstrated functional independence of mands and tacts in typically developing preschool children. Children between 2.5 and 3.5 years of age were taught to emit tacts and mands for novel blocks and puzzle pieces that comprised two assembly tasks. In the mand condition, an interrupted-chain procedure was utilized to contrive establishing operations for items needed to complete the assembly tasks. Following training of each operant, the children were tested for the emergence of the other. The effects of training on the untrained operant were evaluated in a multiple-probe design across assembly tasks. Results indicated that mand training reliably resulted in emission of tacts, but tact training produced mands less consistently. Further research is needed on the conditions under which mands and tacts are functionally independent, and on participant variables (e.g., verbal repertoires) that may affect the emergence of the untrained operant. |
| |
| Teaching Intraverbal Behavior to Children with Autism |
| TINA R. GOLDSMITH (Western Michigan University), Linda A. LeBlanc (Western Michigan University), Rachael A. Sautter (Western Michigan University) |
| Abstract: The verbal behavior of children with Autistic Disorder is marked by delays in the acquisition and use of functional categories, including mands, tacts, and intraverbals. Although research and clinical experience indicates that teaching techniques derived from the principles of behavior analysis can be used to aid in the acquisition and use of such behavior, the primary focus in the literature has been on mands and tacts, with little focus on teaching intraverbal behavior. The purpose of this investigation was to teach intraverbal behavior to children with Autistic Disorder using techniques that have proven efficacious in teaching other verbal operants to children with autism (e.g., mands and tacts) and in teaching intraverbal behavior to other populations [e.g., mental retardation (Braam & Poling, 1983; Watkins, Pack-Teixteira, & Howard, 1989; Luciano, 1986), traumatic head injury (Sundberg, San Juan, Dawdy, & Arguelles, 1990), and typically functioning preschoolers (Partington & Bailey, 1993)]. Specifically, this investigation used a transfer of stimulus control procedure (tactàintraverbal) in combination with an errorless learning procedure (i.e., delayed prompting) to teach 3 children with Autistic Disorder to name items associated with preselected categories (e.g., “What are some colors?”). |
|
| |