A defining feature of ASD is atypical gaze behaviour, however, eye-tracking studies in 'real-world' settings are limited, and the possibility of improving gaze behaviour for ASD children is largely unexplored. This study investigated gaze behaviour of ASD and typically developing (TD) children in their classroom setting. Eye-tracking technology…

The current study used differential reinforcement and shaping to increase the variety of foods accepted by children with autism who demonstrated significant feeding inflexibility. Participants were introduced to four new food items via a hierarchical exposure, which involved systematically increasing the desired response with the food item. Level…

The current study evaluated the effectiveness of using a modified "TAGteach"™ procedure and correction to decrease toe-walking in a 4-year-old boy with autism. Two conditions were analyzed: correction alone and correction with an audible conditioned reinforcing stimulus. Correction alone produced minimal and inconsistent decreases in…

A multiple baseline design across participants was used to examine the effects of a portable video modeling intervention delivered in the natural environment on the verbal compliments and compliment gestures demonstrated by five children with autism. Participants were observed playing kickball with peers and adults. In baseline, participants…

Little is known about outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) into adulthood. Several characteristics of individuals with ASD predict long-term outcomes, and the family environment may also play a role. The present study uses a prospective, longitudinal design to describe and predict trajectories of autism symptoms and…

This paper reviews the evidence on sight word instruction as a method of teaching students with autism and significant cognitive and verbal limitations to read printed words. Nine single-subject studies were rated using Reichow et al.'s ("J Autism Dev Disord" 38:1311-1319, 2008) evaluative method for identifying evidence-based practice, and…

The Autism Reinforcer Checklist was found to have adequate reliability when used with 29 autistic children (preschool-early adolescence). Results indicated highest and lowest ranked reinforcers of the edible, material, social, and activity type. (CL)

Analysis of the reinforcing value of verbally presented stories for autistic, mentally retarded, and normal children (total N=32) suggested that mentally retarded (but not autistic) children could use prosodic cues in expressive language and that linguistic stimuli had less reinforcement value for autistic and mentally retarded children than for…

When positive reinforcement was presented via teacher verbalizations in a noncontingent fixed-time schedule, two autistic children (six and nine years old) increased their percentage of correct responding on difficult and easy tasks. (Author/CL)

A study assessed the effectiveness of using objects of obsession as token reinforcers to increase task performance of three children (ages 7-9) with autism. Results indicated that percentage correct on task performance was higher when objects of obsession were used as tokens as opposed to when typical tokens were used. (Author/CR)

The study attempted to improve verbal language acquisition for two nonverbal four- and five-year-old autistic children by incorporating natural language interactions and motivational techniques. Broadly generalized treatment gains resulted from use of functional and varied stimuli, natural reinforcers, reinforcement of communicative attempts, and…

Children (ages 7-12) were invited to carry out two tasks. Sabotage resulted in the experimenter appearing to have a false belief. Whereas children with pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (n=12) corrected the false belief in the rewarded task condition, children with autism (n=10) were not influenced by task condition.…

A review of 41 studies on behavioral interventions for children with autism (ages 0-8) found aggression, tantrums, self-injury, and stereotypy were behaviors most targeted. Results also indicate interventions should be developed based on a thorough analysis of biological, antecedent, and consequence events that control them. Behavioral support…

This study of the outcomes of treatment of three children with autism, to reduce fear of dental examinations, found that the children could be trained through a combined desensitization, symbolic modeling, and reinforcement treatment package to undergo a dental exam in an analog setting, and the training could generalize somewhat to a clinical…