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Emergency telephone calls: a multiple baseline study using instructional programming
1Badham Clinic, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry
|December 1, 1987
Summary
This study taught women with Down syndrome to identify fire emergencies and call for help using minimal speech. The program proved effective, enhancing their safety skills.
Area of Science:
- Speech-language pathology
- Developmental disabilities research
- Emergency preparedness
Background:
- Individuals with Down syndrome often experience speech difficulties, impacting their ability to communicate in emergencies.
- Effective emergency communication strategies are crucial for vulnerable populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a telephone-based emergency communication program for women with Down syndrome.
- To assess the program's effectiveness in teaching discrimination of fire emergencies and contacting emergency services with minimal verbalization.
Main Methods:
- A multiple baseline design across three subjects was employed.
- Instructional procedures were modeled on Engelmann and Carnine's (1982) guidelines.
- Learners were trained to discriminate emergency fire situations and initiate contact with emergency services.
Main Results:
- All three participants successfully learned to discriminate emergency fire situations.
- Participants demonstrated the ability to contact emergency services with minimal verbal requirements.
- Independent ratings confirmed the program's utility at post-testing and follow-up.
Conclusions:
- The developed program is effective in teaching essential emergency communication skills to women with Down syndrome.
- Minimal verbal requirement strategies enhance safety for individuals with speech difficulties.
- This approach offers a practical solution for improving emergency preparedness in this population.