Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T17:48:53.114Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effective Behavioural Strategies for the Defining Characteristics of Autism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 October 2014

Laura J. Hall
Laura J. Hall*
Affiliation:
Deakin University
*
School of Studies in Disability, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood VIC 3125, Australia
Get access

Extract

The following review paper describes the outcomes of data-based behavioural intervention strategies for the defining characteristics of autistic disorder as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994). The results of relevant evaluations of behaviour analytic procedures are reviewed for each of the four potential areas of difficulty under each of the main criteria for autistic disorder, which are: (a) impairment in social interaction, (b) impairment in communication, and (c) restrictive, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behaviour, interests, and activities (DSM-IV). The current areas of research activity as well as those domains that have received comparatively little attention by behavioural researchers are identified, and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
Behaviour Change , Volume 14 , Issue 3 , September 1997 , pp. 139 - 154
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 1997

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.Google Scholar
Anderson, S.R., Taras, M., & Cannon, B.O. (1996). Teaching new skills to young children with autism. In Maurice, C., Green, G., & Luce, S. (Eds.), Behavioral intervention for young children with autism: A manual for parents and professionals (pp. 181–194). Austin, TX: Pro-ed.Google Scholar
Baron-Cohen, S., Cox, A., Baird, G., Sweettenham, J., Nightingale, N., Morgan, K., Drew, A., & Charman, T. (1996). Psychological markers in the detection of autism in infancy in a large population. British Journal of Psychiatry, 168, 158–163.Google Scholar
Belchic, J.K., & Harris, S.L. (1994). The use of multiple peer exemplars to enhance the generalization of play skills to the siblings of children with autism. Child and Family Behavior Therapy, 16, 1–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berke, J.C., & Cerniglia, L. (1990). Stimulus complexity and autistic children's responsivity: Assessing and training a pivotal behaviour. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 20, 233–253.Google Scholar
Birnbrauer, J.S., & Leach, D.J. (1993). The Murcoch early intervention program after 2 years. Behaviour Change, 10, 63–74.Google Scholar
Buffington, D. (1996). Procedures for teaching appropriate gestural communication skills to children with autism. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Queens College, City University of New York.Google Scholar
Camarata, S.M. (1996). On the importance of integrating naturalistic language, social intervention, and speech intelligibility. In Koegel, L.K., Koegel, R.L., & Dunlap, D. (Eds.), Positive behavioral support (pp. 333–351). Sydney: Paul H. Brookes.Google Scholar
Cesaroni, L., & Garber, M. (1991). Exploring the experience of autism through firsthand accounts. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 21, 303–313.Google Scholar
Charlop, M.H. (1986). Setting effects on the occurrence of autistic children's immediate echolalia. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 16, 473–483.Google Scholar
Charlop, M.H., & Haymes, L.K. (1994). Speech and language acquisition and intervention: Behavioral approaches. In Matson, J.L. (Ed.), Autism in children and adults (pp. 213–239). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.Google Scholar
Charlop, M.H., & Milstein, J.P. (1989). Teaching autistic children conversational speech using video modelling. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 22, 275–285.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Charlop, M.H., & Trasowech, J.E. (1991). Increasing autistic children's daily spontaneous speech. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24, 747–761.Google Scholar
Charlop, M.H., & Walsh, M.E. (1986). Increasing autistic children's spontaneous verbalizations of affection: An assessment of time delay and peer modelling procedures. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 19, 307–314.Google Scholar
Coe, D.A., Matson, J.L., Craigie, C.J., & Gossen, M.A. (1991). Play skills of autistic children: Assessment and instruction. Child and Family Behavior Therapy, 13, 13–40.Google Scholar
Durand, M.V., & Carr, E.G. (1987). Social influences of “self-stimulatory” behaviour: Analysis and treatment application. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 20, 119–132.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dyer, K. (1987). The competition of autistic stereotyped behaviour with usual and specially assessed rein-forcers. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 8, 607–626.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dyer, K. (1989). The effects of preference on spontaneous verbal requests in individuals with autism. The Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicap, 14, 184–189.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farmer-Dougan, V. (1994). Increasing requests by adults with developmental disabilities using incidental teaching by peers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27, 533–544.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fay, W.H. (1969). On the basis of autistic echolalia. Journal of Communicative Disorders, 2, 38–47.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fay, W.H., & Schuler, A.L. (1980). Emerging language in autistic children. Baltimore: University Park Press.Google Scholar
Fenske, E.C., Zalenski, S., Krantz, P.J., & McClannahan, L.E. (1985). Age at intervention and treatment outcome for autistic children in a comprehensive intervention program. Analysis and Intervention in Developmental Disabilities, 5, 49–58.Google Scholar
Frea, W.D. (1995). Social-communicative skills in higher functioning children with autism. In Koegel, R.L. & Koegel, L.K. (Eds.), Teaching children with autism. (pp. 53–66) Sydney: Paul H. Brookes.Google Scholar
Freeman, B.J., Ritvo, E., & Miller, R. (1975). An operant procedure to teach an echolalic autistic child to answer questions appropriately. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 5, 169–176.Google Scholar
Gaylord-Ross, R.J., Haring, T.G., Breen, C., & Pitts-Conway, V. (1984). The training and generalisation of social interaction skills with autistic youth. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 17, 229–247.Google Scholar
Gena, A., Krantz, P.J., McClannahan, L.E., & Poulson, C.L. (1996). Training and generalization of affective behaviour displayed by youth with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29, 291–304.Google Scholar
Goldstein, A.P., Sprafkin, R.P., & Gershaw, N.J. (1976). Skill training for community living: Applying structured learning therapy. New York: Pergamon.Google Scholar
Goldstein, H., & Cisar, C.L. (1992). Promoting interaction during sociodramatic play: Teaching scripts to typical preschoolers and classmates with disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 265–280.Google Scholar
Goldstein, H., Kaczmarek, L., Pennington, R., & Shafer, K. (1992). Peer-mediated intervention: Attending to, commenting on, and acknowledging the behaviour of preschoolers with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 289–305.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hall, L.J., & Smith, K. (1996). The generalisation of social skills by preferred peers with autism. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 21, 313–330.Google Scholar
Harchik, A.E., Harchik, A., Luce, S.C., & Sherman, J.A. (1990). Teaching autistic and severely handicapped children to recruit praise: Acquisition and generalisation. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 11, 77–95.Google Scholar
Haring, T.G., Breen, C.G., Pitts-Conway, V., & Gaylord-Ross, R. (1986). Use of differential reinforcement of other behaviour during dyadic instruction to reduce stereotyped behaviour of autistic students. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 90, 694–702.Google Scholar
Haring, T.G., & Lovinger, L. (1989). Promoting social interaction through teaching generalized play initiation responses to preschool children with autism. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 14, 58–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harris, S.L., & Wolchik, S.A. (1979). Suppression of self-stimulation: Three alternative strategies. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 12, 185–198.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hart, B., & Risley, T.R. (1975). Incidental teaching of language in the preschool. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 8, 411–420.Google Scholar
Hawkins, D. (1995). Spontaneous language use. In Koegel, R.L. & Koegel, L.K. (Eds.), Teaching children with autism (pp. 43–52). Sydney: Paul H. Brookes.Google Scholar
Ingenmey, R., & Van Houten, R. (1991). Using time delay to promote spontaneous speech in an autistic child. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24, 591–596.Google Scholar
Kamps, D.M., Leonard, B.R., Vernon, S., Dugan, E.P., Delquadri, J.C., Gershon, B., Wade, L., & Folk, L. (1992). Teaching social skills to students with autism to increase peer interactions in an integrated first-grade classroom. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 281–288.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kasari, C., Sigman, M., Yirmiya, N., & Mundy, P. (1993). Affective development and communication in young children with autism. In Kaiser, A.P. & Gray, D.B. (Eds.), Enhancing children's communication (pp. 201–222). Sydney: Paul H. Brookes.Google Scholar
Koegel, L.K. (1995). Communication and language intervention. In Koegel, R.L. & Koegel, L.K. (Eds.), Teaching children with autism (pp. 17–32). Sydney: Paul H. Brookes.Google Scholar
Koegel, R.L., Firestone, P.B., Kramme, K.W., & Dunlap, G. (1974). Increasing spontaneous play by suppressing self-stimulation in autistic children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 7, 521–528.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Koegel, R.L., & Frea, W.D. (1993). Treatment of social behaviour in autism through the modification of pivotal social skills. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26, 369–377.Google Scholar
Koegel, R.L. & Frea, W.D., & Surratt, A V. (1994). Self-management of problematic social behaviour. In Schopler, E. & Mesibov, G.B. (Eds.), Behavioral issues in autism (pp. 81–97). New York: Plenum.Google Scholar
Koegel, R.L., & Koegel, L.K. (Eds.). (1995). Teaching children with autism. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.Google Scholar
Koegel, R.L., O'Dell, M., & Dunlap, G. (1988). Producing speech use in nonverbal autistic children by reinforcing attempts. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 18, 525–538.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Koegel, R.L., O'Dell, M.C., & Koegel, L.K. (1987). A natural language teaching paradigm for nonverbal children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 17, 187–200.Google Scholar
Koegel, R.L., & Schreibman, L. (1977). Teaching autistic children to respond to simultaneous multiple cues. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 24, 299–311.Google Scholar
Kohler, F.W., Strain, P.S., Hoyson, M., Davids, L., Donina, W.D., & Rapp, N. (1995). Using a group-oriented contingency to increase social interaction between children with autism and their peers. Behavior Modification, 19, 10–32.Google Scholar
Krantz, P.J., MacDuff, M.T., & McClannahan, L.E. (1993). Programming participation in family activities for children with autism: Parents' use of photographic activity schedules. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26, 137–138.Google Scholar
Krantz, P.J., & McClannahan, L.E. (1993). Teaching children with autism to initiate to peers: Effects of a scriptfading procedure. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26, 121–132.Google Scholar
Krantz, P.J., Zalenski, S., Hall, L.J., Fenske, E. & McClannahan, L.E. (1981). Teaching complex language to autistic children. Analysis and Intervention in Developmental Disabilities, 1, 259–297.Google Scholar
Lovaas, O.I. (1977). The autistic child. New York: Wiley.Google Scholar
Lovaas, O.I. (1981). Teaching developmentally disabled children: The me book. Austin, TX: Pro-ed.Google Scholar
Lovaas, O.I. (1987). Behavioral treatment and normal educational and intellectual functioning in young autistic children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55, 3–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lovaas, I.O., Koegel, R.L., & Schreibman, L. (1979). Stimulus overselectivity in autism: A review of research. Psychological Bulletin, 86, 1236–1254.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MacDuff, G.S., Krantz, P.J., & McClannahan, L.E. (1993). Teaching children with autism to use photographic activity schedules: Maintenance and generalization of complex response chains. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26, 89–97.Google Scholar
Mason, S.A., McGee, G.G., Farmer-Dougan, V., & Risley, T.R. (1989). A practical strategy for ongoing reinforcer assessment. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 22, 171–179.Google Scholar
Matson, J.L. (1994). Autism in children and adults. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.Google Scholar
Matson, J.L., & Swiezy, N. (1994). Social skills training with autistic children. In Matson, J.L. (Ed.), Autism in children and adults (pp. 249–256). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.Google Scholar
McEachin, J.J., Smith, T., & Lovaas, O.I. (1993). Long-term outcomes for children with autism who received early intensive behavioral treatment. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 97, 359–372.Google Scholar
McEvoy, M.A., Nordquist, V.M., Twardosz, S., Heckaman, K.A., Wehby, J.H., & Denny, R.K. (1988). Promoting autistic children's peer interaction in an integrated early childhood setting using affection activities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 21, 193–200.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McEvoy, M.A., Odom, S.L., & McConnell, S. (1992). Peer social competence intervention for young children with disabilities. In Odom, S., McConnell, S., & McEvoy, M. (Eds.), Social competence of young children with disabilities: Issues and strategies for intervention (pp. 113–133). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.Google Scholar
McGee, G.G., Almeida, M.C., Sulzer-Azaroff, B., & Feldman, R. (1992). Promoting reciprocal interactions via peer incidental teaching. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 117–126.Google Scholar
McGee, G.G., Feldman, R.S., & Chernin, L. (1991). A comparison of emotional facial display by children with autism and typical preschoolers. Journal of Early Intervention, 15, 237–245.Google Scholar
McGee, G.G., Krantz, P.J., Mason, D., & McClannahan, L.E. (1983). A modified incidental teaching procedure for autistic youth: Acquisition and generalization of receptive object labels. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 16, 329–338.Google Scholar
McGee, G.G., Krantz, P.J., & McClannahan, L.E. (1984). Conversation skills for autistic adolescents: Teaching assertiveness in naturalistic game settings. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 14, 319–330.Google Scholar
McGee, G.G., Krantz, P.J., & McClannahan, L.E. (1985). The facilitative effects of incidental teaching on preposition use by autistic children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 18, 17–31.Google Scholar
Mesibov, G.B. (1984). Social skills training with verbal autistic adolescents and adults: A program model. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 14, 395–404.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mundy, P., Sigman, M., & Kasari, C. (1990). A longitudinal study of joint attention and language development in autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 20, 115–128.Google Scholar
Neef, N., Walters, J., & Egel, A. (1984). Establishing generative yes/no responses in developmentally disabled children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 17, 453–460.Google Scholar
Nientimp, E.G., & Cole, C.L. (1992). Teaching socially valid social interaction responses to students with severe disabilities in an integrated school setting. Journal of School Psychology, 30, 343–354.Google Scholar
Odom, S.L., Chandler, L.K., Ostrosky, M., McConnell, S.R., & Reany, S. (1992). Fading teacher prompts from peer-initiation interventions for young children with disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 307–317.Google Scholar
Odom, S.L., McConnell, S.R., & McEvoy, M.A. (1992). Social competence of young children with disabilities. Sydney: Paul H. Brookes.Google Scholar
Odom, S.L., & Strain, P.S. (1986). A Comparison of peer-initiated and teacher-antecedent interventions for promoting reciprocal social interaction of autistic preschoolers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 19, 59–71.Google Scholar
Odom, S.L., & Watts, E. (1991). Reducing teacher prompts in peer-mediated interventions for young children with autism. The Journal of Special Education, 25, 26–42.Google Scholar
Oke, N.J., & Schreibman, L. (1990). Training social initiations to a high-functioning autistic child: Assessment of collateral behaviour change and generalisation in a case study. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 20, 479–497.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pierce, K., & Schreibman, L. (1994). Teaching daily living skills to children with autism in unsupervised settings through pictorial self-management. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27, 471–481.Google Scholar
Pierce, K., & Schreibman, L. (1995). Increasing complex social behaviours in children with autism: Effects of peer-implemented pivotal response training. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 28, 285–295.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Prior, M.R. (1992). Childhood autism: What do we know and where should we go? Behaviour Change, 9, 96–103.Google Scholar
Prizant, B.M., & Rydell, P.J. (1984). Analysis of the functions of delayed echolalia in autistic children. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 27, 183–192.Google Scholar
Roeyers, H. (1996). The influence of nonhandicapped peers on the social interactions of children with pervasive developmental disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 26, 303–320.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rosenblatt, J., Bloom, P., & Koegel, R.L. (1995). Overselective responding. In Koegel, R.L. & Koegel, L.K. (Eds.), Teaching children with autism (pp. 33–51). Sydney: Paul H. Brookes.Google Scholar
Rutter, M. (1996). Autism research: Prospects and priorities. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 21, 257–275.Google Scholar
Rydell, P.J., & Mirenda, P. (1994). Effects of high and low constraint utterances on the production of immediate and delayed echolalia in young children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 24, 719–735.Google Scholar
Sainato, D.M., Goldstein, H., & Strain, P.S. (1992). Effects of self-evaluation on preschool children's use of social interaction strategies with their classmates with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 127–141.Google Scholar
Santarcangelo, S., & Dyer, K. (1988). Prosodic aspects of motherese: Effects on gaze and responsiveness of developmentally disabled children. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 46, 406–418.Google Scholar
Schreibman, L. (1988). Autism. London: Sage.Google Scholar
Schreibman, L. (1994). Autism. In Craighead, L.W., Craighead, W E., Kazdin, A.E., & Mahoney, M.J. (Eds ), Cognitive and behavioral interventions (pp. 335–358). Sydney: Allyn & Bacon.Google Scholar
Schreibman, L. (1996). Brief report: The case for social and behavioral intervention research. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 26, 247–250.Google Scholar
Schreibman, L., & Carr, E.G. (1978). Elimination of echolalic responding to questions through the training of a generalized verbal response. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 11, 453–463.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schreibman, L., Stahmer, A.C., & Pierce, K.L. (1996). Alternative applications of Pivotal Response Training. In Koegel, L.K., Koegel, R.L., & Dunlap, G. (Eds.), Positive behavioral support: Including people with difficult behavior in the community (pp. 353–371). Sydney: Paul H. Brookes.Google Scholar
Shafer, M.S., Egel, A.L., & Neef, N.A. (1984). Training mildly handicapped peers to facilitate changes in the social interaction skills of autistic children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 17, 461–467.Google Scholar
Stahmer, A. (1995). Teaching symbolic play skills to children with autism using pivotal response training. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 25, 123–141.Google Scholar
Stahmer, A.C., & Schreibman, L. (1992). Teaching children with autism appropriate play in unsupervised environments using a self-management treatment package. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 447–459.Google Scholar
Stewart, C.A., & Singh, N.N. (1995). Enhancing the recognition and production of facial expressions of emotion by children with mental retardation. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 16, 365–382.Google Scholar
Stokes, T.F., & Baer, D.M., (1977). An implicit technology of generalization. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 10, 349–368.Google Scholar
Strain, P.S. (1985). Social and nonsocial determinants of acceptability in handicapped preschool children. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 4, 47–58.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sugai, G., & White, W.J. (1986). Effects of using object self-stimulation as a reinforcer on the prevocational work rates of an autistic child. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 16, 459–471.Google Scholar
Sulzer-Azaroff, B., & Mayer, G.R. (1991). Behavior analysis for lasting change. Sydney: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.Google Scholar
Taylor, B.A., & Harris, S.L. (1995). Teaching children with autism to seek information: Acquisition of novel information and generalization of responding. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 28, 3–14.Google Scholar
Taylor, B.A., & McDonough, K.A. (1996). Selecting teaching programs. In Maurice, C., Green, G., & Luce, S. (Eds.), Behavioral intervention for young children with autism: A manual for parents and professionals (pp. 63–177). Austin, TX: Pro-ed.Google Scholar
Thorp, D.M., Stahmer, A.C., & Schreibman, L. (1995). Effects of sociodramatic play training on children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 25, 265–282.Google Scholar
Tustin, R.D. (1995). The effects of advance notice of activity transitions on stereotypic behaviour. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 28, 91–92.Google Scholar
Twardosz, S.Nordquist, V.M., Simon, R., & Botkin, D. (1983). The effect of group affection activities on the interaction of socially isolate children. Analysis and Intervention in Developmental Disabilities, 3, 311–338.Google Scholar
Waterhouse, L., Morris, R., Allen, D., Dunn, M., Fein, D., Feinstein, C., Rapin, I., & Wing, L. (1996). Diagnosis and classification in autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 26, 59–84.Google Scholar
Wing, L. (1985). Autistic children. New York: Bruner/Mazel.Google Scholar
Wolery, M., Ault, M.J., & Doyle, P.M. (1992). Teaching students with moderate to severe disabilities. New York: Longman.Google Scholar
Zanolli, K., Daggett, J., & Adams, T. (1996). Teaching preschool age autistic children to make spontaneous initiations to peers using priming. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 26, 407–422.Google Scholar