Authors: Leaf, Justin B.; Taubman, Mitchell; Bloomfield, Stephanie; Palos-Rafuse, Letty; Leaf, Ron; McEachin, John; Misty L. Oppenheim
Source: Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, v3 n1 p275-289 Jan 2009

Abstract: This study assessed the effectiveness of a Teaching Interaction procedure for four social skills across three participants diagnosed with autism. All social skills fell into four broad domains (i.e., social-communication, play, emotion skills, and choice/selection skills). In addition, a teaching package was used to increase communication between the three participants and three selected target peers. The teaching package consisted of the Teaching Interaction procedure, reinforcement, and priming of participants to demonstrate social skills and to engage with their target peers. Prior to intervention, participants displayed near zero levels of the four social skills that were targeted; after intervention, all three participants were able to demonstrate these skills. Prior to intervention, participants did not communicate or play with their selected target peer; after intervention, participants were able to increase the amount of play and communication. A multiple baseline design showed that the teaching package was effective in teaching both the targeted social skills and in increasing the development of initial associations that could lead to friendships for three children diagnosed with autism.