Comparison of Traditional and Embedded DTT on Problem Behavior and Responding to Instructional Targets.

Embedded discrete trial training (DTT) involves the presentation of instructional targets in an activity-based situation, and serves as an alternative to traditional, table-top instruction (Geiger, Carr, LeBlanc, Hanney, Polick, et al. Behavior Analysis in Practice 5, 49-59, 2012). The current study compared the effects of Traditional and Embedded DTT on responding to instructional targets and problem behavior for one child with autism. Although the results showed similar levels of accuracy for instructional targets across both conditions, there were more target exposures and no problem behavior during Embedded DTT. The results are discussed along with future directions for research and clinical practice.

Employing a Fixed-Lean Multiple Schedule in the Treatment of Challenging Behavior for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Despite its utility, there is limited applied research on employing fixed-lean (FL) schedules of reinforcement in treatment packages to address challenging behavior. One potential reason is that abrupt shifts to terminal schedules of reinforcement have been associated with immediate increases in challenging behavior before subsiding to clinically acceptable levels. The purpose of the present study was to (a) provide evidence demonstrating the utility of a FL multiple schedule (MS) in the treatment of challenging behavior in applied settings, (b) examine the potential effects of alternative stimuli on challenging behavior during a FL MS, and (c) assess the social validity of this treatment package with participants and caregivers. The results of this study showed low levels of challenging behavior and discriminated mands during the FL MS, but no evidence to support the inclusion of alternative stimuli. In addition, caregivers of both participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the treatment package. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed.

Examination of efficacious, efficient, and socially valid error-correction procedures to teach sight words and prepositions to children with autism spectrum disorder.

Prior research shows that learners have idiosyncratic responses to error-correction procedures during instruction. Thus, assessments that identify error-correction strategies to include in instruction can aid practitioners in selecting individualized, efficacious, and efficient interventions. The current investigation conducted an assessment to compare 5 error-correction procedures that have been evaluated in the extant literature and are common in instructional practice for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Results showed that the assessment identified efficacious and efficient error-correction procedures for all participants, and 1 procedure was efficient for 4 of the 5 participants. To examine the social validity of error-correction procedures, participants selected among efficacious and efficient interventions in a concurrent-chains assessment. We discuss the results in relation to prior research on error-correction procedures and current instructional practices for learners with ASD.

Comparing the effects of massed and distributed practice on skill acquisition for children with autism.

We replicated and extended the findings of Haq and Kodak (2015) by evaluating the efficiency of massed and distributed practice for teaching tacts and textual and intraverbal behavior to 3 children with autism. Massed practice included all practice opportunities conducted on 1 day during each week, and distributed practice included practice opportunities conducted across several days during the week. The results indicated that distributed practice was more efficient for all participants. Suggested areas for future research and implications for practice are discussed.

Evaluating the effects of massed and distributed practice on acquisition and maintenance of tacts and textual behavior with typically developing children.

This study evaluated the effects of massed and distributed practice on the acquisition of tacts and textual behavior in typically developing children. We compared the effects of massed practice (i.e., consolidating all practice opportunities during the week into a single session) and distributed practice (i.e., distributing all practice opportunities across 4 sessions during the week) on the acquisition of textual behavior in English, tacting pictures of common nouns in Spanish, and textual behavior in Spanish using an adapted alternating treatments design embedded within a multiple probe design. We also examined correct responding during probes that (a) excluded prompts and reinforcement and (b) occurred 48 hr after training each week. The results indicated that distributed practice was the more efficient training format. Maintenance data collected up to 4 weeks after training also indicated that the participants consistently displayed higher levels of correct responding to targets that had been trained in distributed format. We discuss implications for practice and potential areas for future research.