Dorothea C. Lerman, Mandy Parten, Laura R. Addison, Christina M. Vorndran, Valerie M. Volkert, & Tiffany Kodak (2005).
A methodology for assessing the functions of emerging speech in children with developmental disabilities.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
38, 303-316.
An approach based on Skinner’s (1957) theory of verbal behavior has been
developed to understand and teach elementary communication skills to
children with autism and developmental disabilities (Sundberg & Partington,
1998). However, few studies have directly examined the characteristics
of emerging language in children with developmental disabilities. The
purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate an assessment for
identifying the elementary functions of vocal speech in children. Participants
were 4 children with developmental disabilities, aged 6 years to 12 years,
who exhibited at least one distinguishable vocal response (word or phrase)
frequently in the natural environment. The assessment focused on three
verbal operants delineated by Skinner (mand, tact, and intraverbal). One or
more functions were identified for at least one vocal response of each
child. Results suggested that this assessment would be useful for (a)
evaluating Skinner’s theory, (b) guiding decisions about language training
for individual children, and (c) studying the nature of expressive language
development in children with developmental disabilities.
DESCRIPTORS: autism, communication training, developmental disabilities, functional analysis, language, speech, verbal behavior