|
International Symposium - Affective Behavior in Children with Autism |
Monday, May 28, 2007 |
10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
Elizabeth DE |
Area: DDA; Domain: Applied Research |
Chair: Susan M. Vener (New York Child Learning Institute) |
Discussant: Henry D. Schlinger (California State University, Los Angeles) |
CE Instructor: Henry D. Schlinger, Ph.D. |
Abstract: "Affect" refers to a persons facial expression, gestures, and verbalizations that are emitted in response to a complex set of discriminative stimuli that evoke the observers use of terms that draw inferences about a persons emotional state. People with autism have deficits in social interaction that are apparent in nonverbal behavior. Such deficits have been addressed using applied-behavior-analytic methods that successfully promote social interaction. Based on the reviewed literature, however, only two studies (Gena, Couloura, & Kymissis, 2005; Gena, Krantz, McClannahan, & Poulson, 1996) used behavioral principles to increase appropriate affective responding in individuals with autism. This symposium presents a review of the literature on affective behavior and two studies that add to that literature. The study by DeQuinzio, Townsend, Sturmey, and Poulson emphasized the role imitation and modeling play in displaying facial expressions. The study by Najjar, Vener, and Poulson used a behavioral intervention package, consisting of modeling, shaping, and script-fading to increase appropriate verbalizations, vocal intonation, and facial expressions. Both studies were conducted with children with autism. |
|
Affective Behavior and the Stimulus Control Procedures Relevant in Affect Training. |
NIDAL K. NAJJAR DAOU (The Graduate Center, City University of New York), Claire L. Poulson (Queens College, City University of New York) |
Abstract: Children with autism show little or no interest in people as evidenced by the fact that they often look past or away from them. Such deficits have been addressed using applied-behavior-analytic methods that have been successful in promoting social interaction, which is emphasized in the present review. This review examines (a) affective behavior in children of typical development; (b) affective behavior in children with autism; and (c) the stimulus control literature with respect to its potential use to promote appropriate affective behavior in children with autism. The review concludes that applied-behavior-analytic methods can be and have been successfully used to teach people with autism to emit appropriate affective responses. It is finally suggested that more studies are needed to explore the problem of affect in people with autism, given that the two studies by Gena (Gena, 1994; Gena, Krantz, McClannahan, & Poulson, 1996; Gena, Couloura, & Kymissis, 2005) seem to be the only thus far published behavioral studies addressing this problem. |
|
Generalized Imitation of Facial Models by Children with Autism. |
JAIME A. DEQUINZIO (The City University of New York), Dawn B. Townsend (Institute for Educational Achievement), Peter Sturmey (Queens College, City University of New York), Claire L. Poulson (Queens College, City University of New York) |
Abstract: Imitation is an essential skill in the acquisition of language and communication skills. An initial phase in teaching young children with autism to engage in appropriate affective responding may be to teach the imitation of facial models. Using a multiple-baseline-across-participants experimental design, the imitation training procedure consisting of modeling, prompting, differential reinforcement, and error correction was introduced successively across three subjects. Low, inconsistent rates of imitation of facial models were observed in the baseline condition. All of the participants learned to imitate some of the facial models presented during imitation training, however only two of the three participants demonstrated generalized responding to a novel facial model presented during interspersed generalization probe trials. Limitations of this study provide suggestions for future research in identifying the number of exemplars needed to better promote generalized imitation of facial models and in assessing to what extent imitation of facial models facilitates skill acquisition during more complex affective training. |
|
Using Modeling, Shaping, and Script-Fading Procedures to Teach Children with Autism to Engage in Appropriate Affective Behavior. |
NIDAL K. NAJJAR DAOU (The Graduate Center, City University of New York), Susan M. Vener (New York Child Learning Institute), Claire L. Poulson (Queens College, City University of New York) |
Abstract: People with autism have difficulty displaying appropriate affective responses. Based on the reviewed literature, two studies (Gena, Couloura, & Kymissis, 2005; Gena, Krantz, McClannahan, & Poulson, 1996) used behavioral principles to increase appropriate affective responding by individuals with autism. This study adds to that literature by increasing precision of measurement and by using explicitly defined shaping procedures. This study used a behavioral intervention package, consisting of modeling, shaping, and script-fading to increase appropriate affective responding. A multiple-baseline experimental design across affective categories was used to evaluate the effects of the treatment package on the percentage of appropriate affective responding emitted by three children with autism following teacher-presented statements designed to evoke an affective response. Affective responding consisted of verbalizations, vocal intonation, and facial expressions. The participants did not emit appropriate affective responding during baseline. The percentage of appropriate affective responding emitted by all participants across categories increased systematically with the introduction of treatment. Nonreinforced probe responding also improved following treatment. |
|
|