Author:
Chung Ji Eun,Lee Sung Bong
Abstract
In this study, the researchers aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Discrete
Trial Teaching utilizing visual arrow supports on reducing the use of echolalia
in children with autism spectrum disorders. The study participants included
three children with autism spectrum disorders who exhibited echolalic speech.
The research design employed a multiple baseline across subjects design. The
intervention consisted of two phases: in Phase 1, participants were taught to
respond to cues with arrow visual supports for labeling, while in Phase 2,
participants were taught to respond to cues using arrow motion cards as visual
supports to understand and replace echolalic utterances with relevant responses.
The results of the study indicated that the echolalia usage of all three
children decreased during intervention and this reduction was maintained and
generalized across sessions. These findings suggest that individual
interventions utilizing visual arrow supports can be an effective method to
reduce echolalia in children with autism spectrum disorders who are
characterized as visual learners.
Publisher
Korean Association for Behavior Analysis