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Using time delay to promote spontaneous speech in an autistic child
1Psychology Department, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
|January 1, 1991
Summary
A time delay procedure effectively increased spontaneous speech in an autistic child. This intervention shows promise for improving communication skills in children with autism.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Applied Behavior Analysis
Background:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is often characterized by deficits in spontaneous speech.
- Early intervention is crucial for improving communication outcomes in autistic children.
Observation:
- A 10-year-old male autistic child exhibited limited spontaneous speech during play-based activities.
- A multiple baseline design across behaviors was employed to assess intervention effectiveness.
Findings:
- A time delay procedure significantly increased spontaneous speech production in trained items.
- Generalization of spontaneous speech was observed for trained items within the same behavioral class (car play) and across settings.
- Spontaneous speech levels were maintained for car play but decreased for a second behavior during a 4-month maintenance phase.
Implications:
- Gradual time delays in verbal prompts can be an effective strategy for enhancing spontaneous speech in autistic children.
- Findings suggest spontaneous speech may function as an anticipatory verbal response, indicated by decreased response latencies.
- This research supports the use of behavioral interventions to foster communication development in individuals with ASD.