HUMBEHV 2C03 FINAL WEEKS 7-11

__% of autistic children do not speak or have abnormal patterns in language development

50

How does behaviour function as language?

A child can scream next to the TV to get their parent to turn it on.

DTT Language Learning

presenting massed instructions at tabletop, labelling objects (3D or flashcards), and receptive responses

Receptive Responses

simple instructions to multistep instructions

What are the three major challenges of DTT in teaching language?

1. Generalizing Language Responses

2. Spontaneous Use of Language

3. Language is Complex Behaviour

Is generalizing language responses possible in DTT?

difficult to do outside of DTT teaching condition due to regimented antecedent conditions

How is language a complex behaviour?

language is made up of different responses (single and/or chained), rules to follow, and words have contextual specific functions

Functional Analysis of Language

examines language based on its purpose and use in communication rather than just structure

Verbal Operant

separate response categories and as units of analysis

Language

defined by Skinner, behaviour that is reinforced through the mediation of another person’s behaviour

What is a word defined by?

its function

How is a word defined by its function?

A cup can signal wanting a drink or showing a parent that they know what a cup is

Mand

involves motivating/establishing operations, occur when an activity or object is wanted

When do mands occur?

When establishing operations are strong or when a wanted object or activity has not been engaged with in a while

Why is the mand the first form of verbal behaviour to be acquired?

provides immediate and specific reinforcement

What is an example of the first mand someone makes?

Baby crying → results in receiving food or care

What kind of mands do people with developmental delays have?

maladaptive mands (e.g., screaming, crying, throwing tantrums)

What is the common profile of an autistic child?

large receptive repertoire, many tacts, few mands, fewer intraverbals

How many mands does the typical preschooler make a day?

500-1000

True or false: being able to say or sign a word can be used for other functions

false; tacts or labels do not transfer to be mands

Motivating Operation

events that alter the value of reinforcers

Satiation

too much of reinforcement → does not want anymore → loses reinforcer value

Deprivation

has not had reinforcement in a while → want it more → increases reinforcer value

Aversive

does not want reinforcement, remove it or avoid it → increases reinforcer value

Pure Mand

a mand without a referent in sight

Prompted Mand

mand still requiring instructions in the form of a prompt to occur with its specified referent in sight

ABC of Mands

Antecedent = some sort of internal state of motivation or drive

Response = asking for something

Consequence = always exactly what was asked for

Tact

comes from contact (with environment), based on seeing something and labelling it in an expressive way

ABC of Tacts

Antecedent = seeing something in the environment 

Response = non-verbal action 

Consequence = non-specific social praise (e.g., “That’s great!”)

Can tacting be taught without an item present?

no; tacting involves interacting with the environment

Receptive

understanding of language, performing a nonverbal action in response

ABC of Receptives

Antecedent = some form of instruction 

Response = nonverbal action

Consequence = non-specific social reinforcement

Receptive Identification

identifying words, objects, etc, asked to do something and the response is doing the thing

Receptive Instruction

asked to point to a picture or an object to demonstrate that the learner knows its identity

Intraverbal

unique response made to another person’s verbal response, similar to how conversation happens

ABC of Intraverbals

Antecedent = someone’s verbal stimulus 

Response = non-matching verbal response 

Consequence = social praise or continuing conversation

Echoic

repeating what is said, verbal matches the verbal, used in basic language imitation

ABC of Echoics

Antecedent = someone’s verbal stimulus

Response = matching verbal response

Consequence = social priase

Textual

response is reading a word and understanding what it means

ABC of Textuals

Antecedent = some written stimulus 

Response = verbal response of written stimulus

Consequence = non-specific verbal praise

Mimetic

sign language response, can be a gestural responses (models a unique response)

Feature, Function, Class

adding elements to operants to help children with ASD acquire a full language repertoire

Full Repertoire

being able to talk about and describe all things fully

What is the goal of FFC?

child is able to have conversations that include features, functions, and classes of a concept and provides them foundational skills of learning concepts

Receptive FFC

child identifies objects based on their characteristics, usage, or category, rather than just naming them

Tact FFC

child vocally labels objects based on their characteristics, use, or category

Intensive Training Interval

focuses on specific practices and skill development best taught in a formal and specific location, occurs at the table and requires specific materials

Natural Environment Training

occurs in a less formal and specific location, focuses on language development in contextually relevant locations

What does AVB use more of?

NET

What increases the likelihood for generalization?

1. Various natural locations and activities the learner encounters daily 

2. Teaching with the specific materials the learner will come upon 

3. Using reinforcers that are naturally connected to the activity or location

ABLLS

observe individuals with autism and assess them in a number of different domains, used in a verbal behaviour approach

Visual Performance

match up stimuli the individual sees

What does an ABLLS curriculum do?

guides an individual within different areas to get to higher ones

What are the similarities between DTT and AVB?

• Breaks complex skills into small units of behaviour

• ABC sequence is still used and fundamentally the same

• Variety of settings utilized (e.g., at school, daycare, home, etc…)

What are the differences between DTT and AVB?

• AVB is largely language focused and communication is the first priority 

• AVB uses more interspersed trials in ITI as compared to massed trials

• AVB uses proportionately more NET teaching and less at the table, 80% natural environment and 20% table (vice versa for Lovaas DTT)

• AVB has a more functional approach to language, DTT differentiates and determines expressive vs. receptive language

Trial by Trial Data

every single trial is scored as correct or incorrect (or some variation) by the instructor

Probe Data

responses are only probed or checked 1-2 times per day, typically at the start of the session and sometimes checked at the end

What is the aim of probe data?

indicates if learning happened throughout the session

How are targets intermixed in AVB?

80% known and 20% unknown and then transition into 50/50 if they can handle it

What is the first intention the instructor has with the child?

to be someone preferred in the child’s life so that they will want to engage with you

Pairing with Reinforcement

reserve reinforcing items to the learner and make access to them dependent on the instructor

What are the signs of being a taker?

learner will start hoarding things and not give things back and may turn their back to the therapist throughout the session

What do givers look like?

have minimal demands initially, quickly introduce small, easy demands

How does an instructor know they are paired?

1. Approach: does the child come towards you? 

2. Engagement: do they engage with you in some way? 

3. Communication: are they conversing with you?

What should happen after teaching reinforcers?

get kids to ask for the things they really want all the time, go straight into manding

Where should mands be taught?

where the child would typically ask for a reinforcer because it promotes generalization piece

What are the effects of NET?

increases likelihood they use mand in that environment

How should the environment be set up?

clear child’s environment of freely accessible preferred items (out of reach)

When first teaching manding, what kind of words should you teach?

teach topographically different words

What is the goal of manding?

use that mand in order to get access to things they want rather than just getting it themself

Initial Mand Response Training

determine something child will want → present item out of reach → wait 2 seconds for a response → give item if they verbalize

What are the options available if they do not respond to a mand right away?

• Echoic = say “juice” and wait 2 seconds for the child to vocally imitate and then give them juice 

• Imitate = model the sign for juice → wait up to 2 seconds for the child to imitate → give them the item 

• PECS = prompt them to take picture or place in hand + prompt

What does it mean when there is no response?

motivation might be an issue

Transitive MO

where one stimulus conditions another one to be wanted, transitioning from one item to another

Advanced Mand Training

teaching learner to mand for information, reinforcer is now information and not an item

How are echoics taught?

through fun things such as songs (e.g., Row Row your boat)

ABCs of Mimetics

Antecedent = “Do this” + action

Response = matching physical, imitative action

Consequence = social praise

How do mimetics work?

use form of graduated guidance, may have to manipulate hands in some way just so they get the motion correct

Echoic-to-Tact

repeating word when seeing object → fade to tacting by labelling the object

Mand-to-Tact

requesting object → labelling object

Intraverbal Fill-Ins

instructor says one thing, learner gives a different response (e.g., Ready, set, _____ (go))

Echoic-to-Intraverbal

echoic response following an antecedent stimuli

Tact-to-Intraverbal

go from a tact response to an intraverbal one (hide item)

Most-to-Least Prompting

give answer first and then fade it out, be successful right away

Variable Ratio of R+

unsure as to when reinforcement is coming, dependent on how many responses are made

Incidental Teaching

form of naturalistic instruction, child led as opposed to teacher led, involves some prearrangement of the environment

What are the goals of IT?

1. Generalization of behaviour across stimuli 

2. Expansion of language elaborations (i.e., shaping response generalizations) 

What is needed in IT?

planned instruction, taken to various natural activities the child encounters

What does IT do?

add to language skills → language expansion (e.g., “Car” → “I want car”)

What should be done if an incorrect response is made?

provide least intrusive, most successful prompt for response

Language Elaborations

have the child mand using different carrier phrases (e.g., “Give me”, “Can I have”, “I want”)

IT vs. Mand Training

• IT = prompts language expansion

• Mand = prompts verbal behaviour

What is the primary focus of IT?

language expansion

What are the four main steps of IT?

1. Create an engaging setting 

2. Wait for the child to initiate 

3. Prompt the child for a fuller request 

4. Provide the desired outcome

Direct Instruction

specialized instruction program for teaching language and academic skills

What is the goal of DI?

to accelerate achievement in less time, on the side of nurture

What is the antecedent in DI?

teacher-directed scripts

If the learner is not learning, then…

the teacher is not learning

Faultless Communication

core logic of DI, what a child learns is a function of the communication received (i.e., the antecedent or instruction)

What the child learns is a function of the ___________ received

communication