Glen Dunlap

Producing Speech Use in Nonverbal Autistic Children by Reinforcing Attempts.

It has been extremely difficult to teach speech to severely handicapped nonverbal autistic children. However, an overview of the literature suggests the possibility that selecting aspects of motivation as a central target behavior, rather than concentrating on motor speech production per se, may improve the effectiveness of teaching speech to these children. Therefore, the purpose of this experiment was to compare two different reinforcement conditions; one in which successive motor approximations of speech sounds were reinforced; and a “motivation” condition in which attempts to produce speech sounds were reinforced, without any motor shaping of speech. The results, replicated within a repeated reversal disign, showed that reinforcing speech attempts was more effective than reinforcing motor speech sounds with respect to (a) the childrens interest, enthusiasm, happiness, and general behavior during treatment; and (b) improvements in the childrens speech production. The results are discussed in terms of their relationship to the literature on normal parent-child speech interaction, success and failure, and learned helplessness.

Parent adjustment and family stress as factors in behavioral parent training for young autistic children

One of the most prevalent means of intervention for the multiple disabilites exhibited by children with autism is parent training. Research has shown parent training to be an effective, cost-efficient method for behavior change and maintenance. Still, it is evident that not all parents respond similarly to training curricula and, thus, parent training may not be the most effective service delivery option for all families. A large number of variables undoubtedly contribute to the differential benefits that parents and their children may derive from parent training programs. This article discusses those factors that involve the psychological adjustment and functioning of the childrens parents and family unit. In addition to reviewing literature specific to autism, relevant research on parent training with more prevalent childhood disorders is also reviewed. To investigate further the relationship between child, parent, and family variables, a model of a comprehensive assessment methodology is illustrated in the context of evaluating differential outcomes in an ongoing parent training program. In addition to presenting some preliminary trends in these data, sample data on two cases are presented to illustrate child and family profiles. It is suggested that future multivariate research in the areas of child, parent, and family functioning could contribute to clinical decision-making and the more desirable individualization of service delivery.

Team Training for Young Children With Autism: A Regional Model for Service Delivery

Young children with autism and related developmental handicaps require early, intensive and comprehensive services if they are to progress rapidly and efficiently. Due to the relatively low incidence of autism and the lack of specially trained professionals, children who live in rural areas are typically unserved or are provided with limited services which fail to address adequately their extensive and ongoing needs. This article describes a recently developed regional model designed to provide thorough training services for preschool-aged children, their families, and community-based service providers who have an impact on the childrens functioning and development. The team training approach is characterized by a focus on individualized intervention, ongoing assessments, and intensive training which seeks to produce a consistent, coordinated effort on behalf of the child-family-community interactions. The model is described in detail, and service implementation is illustrated by a representative case.

Acquisition and Generalization of Unsupervised Responding: A Descriptive Analysis.

This descriptive study examined the unsupervised responding of a young man with profound handicaps and a lifelong history of dependence. Two objectives were pursued: (a) to establish independent, unsupervised task responding with a stimulus and reinforcer fading procedure; and (b) to assess generalization of unsupervised performance across tasks and settings. The data showed that, initially, the participant did not display unsupervised responding, even though a clear contingency was described prior to the work session. Following the fading procedure, high rates of independent performance were exhibited, which were then maintained with post-session contingencies. In addition, generalization occurred to three other unsupervised tasks that had not been subjected to within-session interventions. Although the design prohibits definitive conclusions, the results delineate variables and suggest directions for future research in the areas of stimulus control, generalization, and normalized contingencies.