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Mands for Information Using "How" Under EO-Absent and EO-Present Conditions
M Alice Shillingsburg1, Crystal N Bowen2, Amber L Valentino2
1Marcus Autism Center, 1920 Briarcliff Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 USA ; Emory University School of Medicine, 1920 Briarcliff Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 USA.
The Analysis of Verbal Behavior
|June 9, 2016
Summary
Children with autism learned to ask "How?" for information only when it was needed to complete preferred activities. This study highlights the importance of motivation in teaching functional communication skills.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
Background:
- Children with autism often struggle with functional communication.
- Teaching mands for information is crucial for independence.
- Previous research shows motivation impacts skill acquisition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To replicate and extend research on teaching "How?" mands for information to children with autism.
- To investigate the role of establishing operations (EOs) in acquiring and using "How?" mands.
- To assess generalization of "How?" mands to novel situations.
Main Methods:
- Mand training was conducted within preferred activities.
- Training and testing occurred with and without the presence of an EO.
- Two children with autism participated in the study.
Main Results:
- Children acquired "How?" mands for information exclusively when the EO was present, indicating information was valuable.
- Acquired "How?" mands were consistently used to complete activities.
- Generalization to untrained situations was evaluated.
Conclusions:
- The presence of an establishing operation (EO) is critical for children with autism to acquire and utilize "How?" mands for information.
- Motivation plays a key role in the functional use of information-seeking communication.
- Future research should explore strategies to enhance generalization of these skills.
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