Increasing Early Social-Communicative Skills of Preverbal Preschool Children with Autism through Social Interactive Training

Abstract

We evaluated the effects of a social interactive training program on early social-communicative skills (i.e., eye contact, joint attention, motor imitation) of three preverbal preschool children with autism. Training was conducted in the children's classroom during naturally occurring daily activities. Findings indicated that implementation of social interactive training components (i.e., contingent imitation, use of naturally occurring reinforcement, expectant look, environmental arrangement) was associated with increases in target behaviors across participants. In addition, generalization of eye contact and motor imitation behavior were found across an additional setting and different interactive partners, although joint attention rarely generalized. Social validation measures provided by 30 raters indicated that perceived positive changes in performance had occurred in child behaviors and that training procedures were considered acceptable. Results are discussed in terms of implications for research and practice.

Emotional Cognition: Theory of Mind and Face Recognition

“…Numerous studies proved that these early joint attention behaviours (initiation, response or maintain) are impaired in children with ASD (Bono, Daley, & Sigman, 2004;Loveland & Landry, 1986;Mundy & Crowson, 1997;Mundy & Gomes, 1998;Smith, Mirenda, & ZaidmanZait, 2007;Toth, Munson, Meltzoff, & Dawson, 2006;Vaughan et al, 2003) and they are a target of training (Hwang & Hughes, 2000;Jones, 2009;Jones & Carr, 2004;Jones, Carr, & Feeley, 2006;Jones & Feeley, 2007;Kasari, Freeman, & Paparella, 2001bWhalen & Schreibman, 2003;Whalen, Schreibman, & Ingersoll, 2006). Some studies pointed out that their joint attention ability skills are positively linked to or are predictive of their skills in ToM (Baron-Cohen, 1991cGattegno, Ionescu, Malvy, & Adrien, 1999;Phillips, Baron-Cohen, & Rutter, 1992;Robertson, Tanguay, L'Ecuyer, Sims, & Waltrip, 1999;Tourrette et al, 2000;Yirmiya, Pilowsky, SolomonicaLevi, & Shulman, 1999).…”

Brief Report: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Reciprocal Imitation Training for Teaching Elicited and Spontaneous Imitation to Children with Autism

“…Several such approaches have been described in the literature (Hwang and Hughes 2000;Klinger and Dawson 1992;Nadel 2002), but limited research exists on their ability to teach spontaneous, generalized imitation in young children with autism. One approach, Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT), is a naturalistic imitation intervention that emphasizes the social role of imitation (Ingersoll 2008a).…”

Strategies Used in Natural Environments to Promote Communication Development in Young Children at Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…Table 1 provides an overview of the strategies and Table 2 (Hancock & Kaiser, 2002). (Aldred, Green, & Adams, 2004;Hancock & Kaiser, 2006;Hwang & Hughes, 2000;Ingersoll & Dvortcsak, 2009;Ingersoll, Dvortcsak, Whalen, & Sikora, 2005;Ingersoll, Lewis, & Kroman, 2007) Lucas is playing with fish at the water table. His teacher joins him to establish a shared focus (following his lead) at the water table.…”

“…Sofia takes a turn then her father takes a turn doing the same thing with the blocks that Sofia did. Naturally reinforcing language Upon appropriate communication attempts, providing the child with desired item or routine to naturally reinforce communication attempts (Hancock & Kaiser, 2006;Hwang & Hughes, 2000;Ingersoll et al, 2007;Kashinath et al, 2006;Wetherby & Woods, 2006) When Aalap signs, "More please," his big sister gives him one more spoonful of yogurt.…”

“…She waits for Marla to request to be all done, then moves to another preferred activity. Choice making Providing choices to the child to create a communication opportunity (Hancock & Kaiser, 2006;Hwang & Hughes, 2000;Wetherby & Woods, 2006).…”