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| It Takes Two to Tango: The Path From Preverbal to Generative Verbal Behavior |
| Monday, May 26, 2025 |
| 4:00 PM–4:50 PM |
| Marriott Marquis, M2 Level, Marquis Salon 1-5 |
| Area: LBD; Domain: Applied Research |
| Chair: Jennifer Lynne Bruzek (The University of Alabama in Huntsville) |
| CE Instructor: Maithri Sivaraman, Ph.D. |
| Presenting Author: MAITHRI SIVARAMAN (Teachers College of Columbia University, USA; Tendrils Centre for Autism, India) |
| Abstract: The origins of verbal behavior are said to lie in toddler-caregiver interactions. Recent research has argued that these instances of cooperation serve as a context to build preverbal skills including orienting, imitation and vocalizations, and drive derived relational responding and complex verbal behavior. I will discuss the continuum from preverbal behavior to relational responding in young children, focusing on the methods to facilitate foundational skills for language-learning. Specifically, I will present data on the impact of contingent vocal imitation on vocalizations, orienting and preverbal turn-taking. In addition to these foundations, Relational Frame Theory postulates that nonarbitrary relations (i.e., relations based on formal properties) are a key precursor for complex language. I will demonstrate ways to assess and teach nonarbitrary relations across listener and speaker response topographies to neurotypical and neurodivergent children. |
| Instruction Level: Intermediate |
| Target Audience: Graduate students, practitioners, and researchers in ABA |
Learning Objectives: 1. Identify at least three preverbal behaviors emitted by young children
2. Describe one strategy to facilitate the emission of vocalizations in children with language delays
3. Describe a method to assess relational responding based on formal properties - a key foundation for generative language |
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| MAITHRI SIVARAMAN (Teachers College of Columbia University, USA; Tendrils Centre for Autism, India) |
 Maithri Sivaraman is an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She received her Master’s in Psychology from the University of Madras in India and a Ph.D in Psychology from Ghent University in Belgium at the Research in Developmental Disorders Lab where she studied the early social and verbal repertoires in young children with and without special needs. Her research falls under three broad domains – (a) generative verbal behavior, (b) children’s socio-emotional development, and (c) cultural adaptations made to support services. She currently serves as an Associate Editor for the Psychological Record and on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. Prior to her current position, Maithri established the Tendrils Centre for Autism in Chennai, India offering behavioral services for children with special needs. She serves as a consultant for multiple early intervention centres in India and Europe, and as a Treasurer for the Association for Science in Autism Treatment. With Dr. Tricia Skoler, she blogs on early childhood development for Psychology Today. |
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