Shabani, D. B., Katz, R. C., Wilder, D. A., Beauchamp, K., Taylor, C. R., & Fischer, K. J. (2002).
Increasing social initiations in children with autism: Effects of a tactile prompt.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
35, 79-83.
An ABAB design was used to assess the effects of a tactile
prompting device (i.e., a vibrating pager) as a prompt for the
social initiations of 3 children with autism during free-play
activities with typically developing peers. Results indicated
that the tactile prompt was effective in increasing verbal
initiations for all 3 children, and responses to peers'
initiations were higher for 2 participants when the tactile
prompt was used. Efforts to reduce the frequency of prompts while
still maintaining rates of initiations were partially successful
for 1 participant.
DESCRIPTORS: _autism, social initiations, social interaction,
tactile prompts