The effects of conditioning three-dimensional stimuli on identity matching and imitative responses in young children with autism spectrum disorder.

Abstract

We tested the effects of conditioning 3-dimensional objects as reinforcers on imitation and match to sample responses of young children with autism. Three children between the ages of 2 and 4.8 years who attended a center-based Early Intervention or preschool program participated in the study. The 3-dimensional object conditioning procedure involved the participants visually tracking preferred and nonpreferred items that were placed under transparent and opaque cups. The cups were then rotated a set number of times per phase. Results showed that for all 3 participants, the 3-dimensional conditioning procedure was functionally related to increases in generalized 3-dimensional matching and object use imitation. Decreases in instructional trials to criterion were noted for 2 of the 3 participants as well. The results are discussed in terms of observing and attending and the effects on reliable assessment and programmatic planning.

Verbal Development, Behavioral Metamorphosis, and the Evolution of Language

“…However, even for children who are not yet verbal, the establishment of visual MTS is foundational to the evolvement of verbal behavior (see the butterfly figure for the preverbal foundations). Several studies have shown either emergence of generalized visual MTS (Du et al, 2015;Greer & Han, 2015) on accelerated rates of learning MTS following establishment of these stimuli as reinforcers for observing responses (e.g., Pereira-Delgado et al, 2009;Speckman, Longano, & Syed, 2017). In another example of newly conditioned reinforcers as a cusp, Greer et al (2011) found that the establishment of adults' voices as a reinforcer for children with limited listener responding resulted in significant changes in rate of learning discriminations involving listening to speech, as well as, enhanced observing responses to others (see Figure 1).…”

Autism and other child developmental disorders: Early behavior-analytic interventions.

“…Kent, Gavin, Barnes-Holmes, Murphy, and Barnes-Holmes (2017), in a series of three studies, investigated specific relational responding repertoires and the importance of sequencing the training in typically developing children and children with autism. Subsequently, Speckman, Longano, and Syed (2017) conducted an experimental demonstration of conditioning three-dimensional objects as reinforcers of imitation and match-to-sample responses of young children with autism. Cihon et al (2017) demonstrated that textual prompts and transfer of stimulus control can be effective in establishing intraverbal responses regardless of the inclusion of fluency-based instruction.…”