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ABSTRACT Prompts are a common instructional component in skill‐acquisition programs for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Stimulus prompts are underused, likely due to limited contemporary guidance and challenges with their feasibility, making them somewhat enigmatic. Incorporating stimulus prompts into tablet‐assisted instruction could improve feasibility. This applied study compared two types of digital stimulus prompts to teach conditional discriminations to three children with ASD. A survey of popular children's tablet apps and games informed prompt selection, and we conducted a tablet‐based instruction readiness assessment. Using an adapted alternating treatments design with a no‐treatment control, we compared motion (within stimulus) and pointing (extra stimulus) prompts across multiple stimulus sets. Both prompts were efficacious for two participants after individual modifications, and there was little difference in efficiency. Neither was efficacious for the third participant despite multiple modifications. Findings contribute to research on digital stimulus prompts and systematic evaluations of skill‐acquisition procedures.

Stay-Play-Talk (SPT) is a peer-mediated intervention where peers are taught to stay, play, and talk with buddies during typical classroom activities. This U.S. study replicates and extends findings of previous SPT studies by examining the differential outcomes of SPT and SPT with reinforcement, for children who are emergent bilingual learners and socially isolated. The differentiation of levels of stay, play, and talk behaviors was evaluated, within an alternating treatments design, across three experimental conditions (SPT + Reinforcement, SPT, business-as-usual [BAU]). Following baseline (i.e., BAU), during which typical classroom activities occurred, focal participants and peer implementers were trained on SPT strategies. During both SPT and SPT + Reinforcement conditions, peer implementers were paired with focal participants for Buddy Time. The system of least prompts was used to support peer implementer use of SPT strategies. In the SPT + Reinforcement condition, peer implementers had access to reinforcers contingent on use of SPT strategies. Both SPT conditions resulted in increased levels of stay, play, and talk, compared to the BAU condition, with SPT + Reinforcement resulting in more consistent and slightly higher levels of play duration and talk. Peer implementer fidelity was higher in the SPT + Reinforcement condition. Increases in play duration were maintained across implementers. Results, limitations, implications, and next steps are discussed.

ABSTRACT Differential reinforcement (DR) procedures involve systematically arranging the environment to increase the future frequency of socially important behaviors while minimizing or eliminating problem behaviors. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of computerized stimulus equivalence‐based instruction (EBI) to a pre‐recorded voiceover PowerPoint lecture to teach definitions and examples of differential reinforcement procedures to college students. The three classes comprised textual stimuli characterizing differential reinforcement of other (DRO), alternative (DRA), and incompatible (DRI) behavior. Each class contained three members: name, definition, and short vignette examples. To program for generalization, two vignette exemplars were used during training while a third exemplar was used to assess stimulus generalization. We used a between‐subjects group design to compare pretest and posttest performances of EBI and lecture participants across (a) computer match‐to‐sample (MTS), (b) card sorting, and (c) written tests (fill‐in and multiple‐choice), with the latter two used to determine the degree to which class‐consistent responding generalized from selection‐based responding to other response topographies (i.e., sorting and writing). Results demonstrated that EBI produced greater score increases than lecture for MTS and card sorting tests, but increases were comparable for the two groups for both fill‐in and multiple‐choice written tests. Another posttest at 1 week showed maintenance of performance gains. Implications for using EBI to teach behavior analytic content are discussed.

Abstract People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may have difficulty responding vocally with intraverbals and physically with motor imitation during conversations. Not responding with an appropriate word coupled with an absence of body language could compromise social opportunities. The literature lists scores of studies implementing human video modeling to increase skills of people with ASD but not much research has been conducted using animated video modeling (Kellems et al., 2020). This study compared human video modeling to animated videos to teach vocal intraverbal responding along with motor imitations of facial expression and body language to eight children with ASD. Seven of the eight participants acquired the target behaviors with one or both methods to some degree. Two participants demonstrated more of the target behaviors with the human video, three demonstrated more with the animated, and little difference in learning was observed for three participants. One participant only demonstrated target behaviors following the human video and another only demonstrated target behaviors following the animated video, suggesting that both methods could be effective and neither was conclusively superior.

Resumo não informado pela fonte indexada.

Resumo não informado pela fonte indexada.

Abstract Masked visual analysis (MVA) was developed to complement traditional visual analysis (TVA) and control for Type I error rates. Researchers have empirically tested MVA with generated data and simulated decisions. Our purpose was to evaluate the performance of MVA with real data and human raters. We asked visual analysts who had published at least one single‐case research article ( n = 36) to evaluate nine multiple‐baseline‐design‐across‐participants graphs. Graphs representing different target behaviors were displayed in masked and unmasked presentations. We evaluated the reliability and validity of MVA and TVA. Agreement within each method was similar to that reported in previous studies on visual analysis (MVA ICC = 0.625; TVA ICC = 0.579). Between the two methods, at least 75% of raters' decisions corresponded for six of nine graphs. We discuss the implications of incorporating MVA and future research on analytic methods for single‐case experimental designs.

Abstract Recent research has demonstrated the utility of recording and reinforcing appropriate behavior during functional analyses. We compared two contingency arrangements across repeated bias and sensitivity evaluations (BASEs), one that equated the contingencies for appropriate and challenging behavior (i.e., symmetrical contingencies) and another that only provided reinforcement for challenging behavior (i.e., asymmetrical contingencies). Six neurotypical children were recruited, and behavior was recorded on a Neutral to Severe Behavior Scale. We evaluated sensitivity to different types of establishing operations (EOs) and response bias toward appropriate versus challenging behavior for each participant. Greater sensitivity to EOs was observed under symmetrical contingencies, but more instances of severe challenging behavior were captured by asymmetrical contingencies. Bias toward challenging behavior was evident in both contingency arrangements. Results suggest that BASEs implementing symmetrical and asymmetrical contingencies could help identify risk factors for challenging behavior and inform preventive strategies.

Abstract Paraeducators have become a critical component in the education of students with autism spectrum disorders in school settings. Due to this, the training of paraeducators is of critical concern for educational settings. The literature has suggested behavioral skills training (BST) as a widely researched intervention to address implementation deficiencies among educators and non-professional staff. However, despite its effectiveness, such approach fails to be adopted by schools as it may require increased time and resources, thus compromising the feasibility of paraeducator training in actual classroom. Limited research exists regarding the effectiveness and potential efficiency of brief training methods that incorporate some of the components of the BST package to train paraeducators in the classroom. Using an adapted alternating treatment design, this study attempted to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of a brief performance feedback (BPF) intervention when compared to the full BST package. Results of the present study suggested similar levels of effectiveness between the brief performance feedback intervention and BST and increased time efficiency of the BPF intervention over BST. Limitations of the current study and recommendations for future research and practice are discussed.

Abstract The purpose of the current study was to compare the efficacy and efficiency of video‐based observational learning (OL) with traditional match‐to‐sample (MTS) training to establish three 3‐member equivalence classes of abstract visual stimuli with adult participants. Video models used during OL depicted a first‐person perspective of a computer screen with modeled on‐screen movements of a mouse cursor making comparison selections. Adult participants in the OL‐mixed group received training in which the video models depicted progressive increases in correct responding of modeled baseline relations across five blocks of trials. Participants in the OL‐expert group received identical training except that the models always depicted 100% correct responding across the five modeled trial blocks. Participants in the MTS group actively responded while completing five blocks of traditional MTS training. Posttest results showed that OL‐mixed training resulted in the highest mean percentage of class‐consistent responding and yield of equivalence classes relative to traditional MTS and the OL‐expert group despite minimal differences in total duration during training. Across the groups, nearly all who successfully demonstrated equivalence class formation during the computerized posttest also showed generalization of class‐consistent responding during the card sorting posttest. The results showed that OL‐mixed training was most effective and that the procedures were similarly efficient.