Analyzing stimulus-stimulus pairing effects on preferences for speech sounds

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Speech-Language Pathology

Background:

• Stimulus-stimulus pairing (SSP) is used to condition speech sounds as reinforcers for children's vocalizations.
• Numerous treatment failures have been reported, necessitating an investigation into procedural variables.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate procedural variables contributing to failures in SSP for conditioning speech sounds.
• To explore methods for improving the efficacy of SSP in children with autism spectrum disorders.

Main Methods:

• Three boys with autism spectrum disorders participated in the study.
• Phase 1 assessed SSP effects on auditory stimulus production via button pressing.
• Procedural manipulations were instituted when initial SSP attempts failed, including reinforcer evaluations.

Main Results:

• One participant showed a preference for the target stimulus when given choices prior to sessions, but results were ambiguous upon reversal.
• Two participants did not develop a consistent preference in Phase 1.
• Phase 2 demonstrated alternative controlling variables through contingent delivery of preferred stimuli.

Conclusions:

• Procedural variables significantly impact the success of stimulus-stimulus pairing in conditioning speech sounds.
• Individualized approaches and reinforcer evaluations may be crucial for effective SSP implementation.
• Further research is needed to refine SSP procedures for speech sound acquisition in children with autism spectrum disorders.