Effects of Script Training on the Peer-to-Peer Communication of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Description

A multiple-baseline design across participants was used to demonstrate the effects of a script-training procedure on the peer-to-peer communication of three children with autism spectrum disorder during group play with peers. Both scripted and unscripted initiations as well as responses to peers increased for all three participants. Stimulus generalization across novel toys, settings, and peers was observed. Novel unscripted initiations, responses, and appropriate changes in topics during peer-to-peer exchanges were analyzed by considering the cumulative frequency of these behaviors across phases of the study. Treatment gains were maintained during 4-week follow-up sessions. Results are discussed in terms of recommendations for practitioners, response variability, and potential future avenues of research.

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