Abstract
Verbal instructions (VI) and In vivo modeling are two commonly used instructional methods in the interventions for individuals with autism. The use of visual supports (VS) and particularly the use of static pictures (SP) and video modeling (VM) have also shown very encouraging results. Yet, there has not been any study to directly assess the effectiveness of each method. Thus, the present study was designed to assess the effectiveness of these four instructional methods across a number of different tasks. Nine children diagnosed with autism participated and experimental control was accomplished using a single-group repeated measures design. The impact of each method on children’s performance was determined through comparisons of the mean percentages of the completed steps in each task. Results showed that VM was the only instructional method which was more effective than VI. Possible reasons for the superiority of VM are provided and implications for future research are identified.
Highlights
Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder, which prevalence has shown a steady increase in the past four decades [1,2,3]
Participants completed 76% of the steps either independently or with the provision of additional verbal or physical prompts when in vivo modeling was used. Their performance was marginally better (78%) when assessed in exactly the same tasks but instructed verbally
And despite individual differences, results showed that video modeling (VM) was the only instructional method which was more effective than Verbal instructions (VI); it was more effective than both in vivo modeling and static pictures (SP)
Summary
Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder, which prevalence has shown a steady increase in the past four decades [1,2,3]. Since 1981, applied behavior analysis (ABA) has been regarded as the treatment of choice for individuals with autism [9] All these years, a vast range of instructional tactics incorporating the principles of ABA have been developed, such as those known as visual supports (VS), which have shown very encouraging results in the treatment of individuals with autism [10,11,12]. A vast range of instructional tactics incorporating the principles of ABA have been developed, such as those known as visual supports (VS), which have shown very encouraging results in the treatment of individuals with autism [10,11,12] This is because people with this condition have been reported to process visual information easier than auditory information [13,14,15]. Static pictures (SP) and video modeling constitute the predominant VS methods for teaching individuals with autism complex or multiplex skills and task sequences
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