Increasing Verbal Behavior in a Young Adolescent Girl with Catatonia and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Catatonia is a complex syndrome marked by significant deficits in verbal and motor behavior, impacting daily functioning.
• Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may experience catatonia, necessitating targeted interventions.
• Understanding effective behavioral treatments for catatonia in adolescents with ASD is crucial for improving communication and daily life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the efficacy of a prompt-fading behavioral treatment package on the verbal behavior of an adolescent girl diagnosed with autism and catatonia.
• To assess the impact of the intervention on specific, previously established verbal responses.
• To determine if the treatment promotes generalization and maintenance of verbal behaviors.

Main Methods:

• A prompt-fading behavioral treatment package was implemented, incorporating manual guidance and verbal modeling.
• Data collection focused on three specific verbal responses: "Hi," "That sounds great," and "Excuse me."
• The intervention involved systematically reducing manual prompts as the participant emitted target verbal behaviors.

Main Results:

• A functional relationship was established between the prompt-fading intervention and the participant's three verbal responses.
• Independent verbal responding emerged and increased as manual prompts were gradually faded.
• The participant demonstrated verbal responses with unfamiliar adults, indicating generalization of the learned behavior.

Conclusions:

• The prompt-fading behavioral treatment package is an effective intervention for improving verbal behavior in adolescents with autism and catatonia.
• The findings suggest that systematic prompt fading can lead to the development of independent and generalized verbal repertoires.
• This approach holds promise for enhancing social communication skills in individuals with complex behavioral and developmental profiles.