Exploratory Analysis of Prerequisites to Teaching Early Perspective-Taking in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Psychology
Minor
Spanish
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Becky Nastally, PhD
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
Research has demonstrated that children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit deficits in perspective taking skills (Baron-Cohen et al., 1985). Behavior analysts have conceptualized perspective taking as the ability to observe the behavior of others and then make inferences about future behavior and respond relationally to private events likely to occur in others (LeBlanc et al., 2003). Behavioral research on this topic has focused on skill acquisition in children with ASD, in one way being able to identify what another person sees (Gould et al., 2010). The purpose of the current study is to determine the effectiveness of a behavioral intervention package for improving perspective taking skills in children with ASD and specifically to extend previous research focused on teaching the ability to identify what others experience through all five senses (Welsh et al., 2019). Less complex verbal behaviors hypothesized to be prerequisites to this skill were first assessed systematically in three male children with ASD receiving ABA services in a community-based clinic, and then participants were taught to predict behavior according to the sensory experiences of others (e.g. after observing that a man sees a fly in his drink, responding the man will likely shoo the fly away). Results of the prerequisite skill assessment will be shared. The effectiveness of the teaching intervention to establish this perspective taking skill in learners with ASD was demonstrated using a multiple baseline design across participants.
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Exploratory Analysis of Prerequisites to Teaching Early Perspective-Taking in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Research has demonstrated that children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit deficits in perspective taking skills (Baron-Cohen et al., 1985). Behavior analysts have conceptualized perspective taking as the ability to observe the behavior of others and then make inferences about future behavior and respond relationally to private events likely to occur in others (LeBlanc et al., 2003). Behavioral research on this topic has focused on skill acquisition in children with ASD, in one way being able to identify what another person sees (Gould et al., 2010). The purpose of the current study is to determine the effectiveness of a behavioral intervention package for improving perspective taking skills in children with ASD and specifically to extend previous research focused on teaching the ability to identify what others experience through all five senses (Welsh et al., 2019). Less complex verbal behaviors hypothesized to be prerequisites to this skill were first assessed systematically in three male children with ASD receiving ABA services in a community-based clinic, and then participants were taught to predict behavior according to the sensory experiences of others (e.g. after observing that a man sees a fly in his drink, responding the man will likely shoo the fly away). Results of the prerequisite skill assessment will be shared. The effectiveness of the teaching intervention to establish this perspective taking skill in learners with ASD was demonstrated using a multiple baseline design across participants.