Using Motivational Orienting Cues to Facilitate First-Word Acquisition in Non-Responders with Autism

Larisa Shirotova, M.A.

Though considerable progress has been made in developing techniques for improving the acquisition of expressive verbal communication in children with autism, research has documented that 10- 25% still fail to develop speech.  One area that may inhibit acquisition of first words in this subgroup is a failure to respond to relevant cues during discrimination training.  Using a multiple baseline design, this study examined whether identifying individualized orienting cues that gain the child’s attention would facilitate first-word acquisition in such children.  The results suggest that using motivational orienting cues can increase correct responding to verbal models as well as subsequent word use Theoretical and applied implications of child attention as they relate to expressive verbal communication are discussed.