Association for Behavior Analysis International

The focus of this symposium is on behavior analytic emotion-related instruction for children with autism spectrum disorders. The first study used a stimulus-stimulus pairing procedure to teach preference for books for children. Results indicated that children spent more time on looking at books and their stereotyped behaviors decreased after the intervention was completed. The second study used multiple exemplar instruction to teach a student with autism to tact others' emotions and environmental contexts associated with emotions. Results indicated that the student's emotion recognition skills improved as a function of multiple exemplar instruction. The third study employed a behavior analytic emotion intervention program to improve emotional and behavioral competence for children with autism. This study utilized a group design with pre and post tests. The emotion program was delivered in a group format with two to three children in each group. Statistical analyses comparing scores on pre and post tests indicated that children's behavioral and emotional competence improved after the intervention.

The purpose of this study was to test the effects of a stimulus-stimulus pairing procedure on children's preference for books and their stereotyped behaviors. Two 3-year-old boys and one 4-year-old girl with autism participated in this study. A multiple baseline across participants design was used. The stimulus-stimulus pairing procedure consisted of delivering each child's preferred items or edibles while they were looking at books. Results indicated that all children spent more time on looking at books and their stereotyped behaviors also decreased during free play time after the intervention was completed.

One of the major deficits for people with autism is to understand other peoples emotions. Tact emotion training is important for their emotional regulation and social interaction. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a multiple examples strategies and verbal prompt procedure can increase the percentage of correct responses of : (1) tact facial expressions (happy, sad, sacred and angry), (2) tact others emotions and (3) tact the cause of emotions in context, for a student with autism. A middle school student with autism participated in this study. A multiple probe across behaviors design was used. Results indicated that the student acquired the skills of tacting emotions and the environmental contexts associated with the emotions.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a behavior-analytic emotion intervention on childrens behavioral and emotion competence. Eight children (seven boys and one girl, age 7-8) diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder participated in this study. The study used a group design with pre and post tests to measure the intervention effects. The emotion intervention was delivered in a group format with two or three children in one group for the first 12 sessions and two individuals sessions. The content included a) emotion recognition, b) identifying antecedent and context of emotion, c) expressing ones own emotions with contextual information, d) seeking help, e) emotion management techniques (i.e., relaxation, distraction), and f) self-delivery of reinforcement for emotion management. Results indicated that the emotion intervention increased childrens behavioral and emotional competence.