Gena, A., Krantz, P. J., McClannahan, L. E., & Poulson, C. L. (1996).
Training and generalization of affective behavior displayed by youth with autism.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
29, 291-304.
The purpose of this study was to teach contextually appropriate
affective behavior to 4 youths with autism. Treatment consisted
of modeling, prompting, and reinforcement introduced in a
multiple baseline design across response categories of affective
behavior. During treatment, verbal praise and tokens were
delivered contingent on appropriate affective responding during
training trials. Modeling and verbal prompting were used as
correction procedures. Each youth received treatment in either
three or four response categories. Treatment systematically
increased responding within the response categories for all 4
participants, with effects being specific to the affective
response categories under treatment. Treatment effects occurred
across untrained scenarios, therapists, time, and settings,
suggesting that generalization had occurred.
DESCRIPTORS: affective behavior, response class formation,
generalization,youth with autism