Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Learning and Cognition in Autism pp 73–87Cite as

Motivating Communication in Children with Autism

  • Chapter

Part of the book series: Current Issues in Autism ((CIAM))

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss motivation to communicate with others as a pivotal treatment goal in the habilitation of autism. Once motivation to attempt to communicate with others is improved, a marked melioration occurs not only in language directly, but also in a number of other symptoms of autism (R. Koegel & Frea, 1993; R. Koegel, L. Koegel, & Surratt, 1993). Such attainment of widespread changes is especially important, because individuals diagnosed as having autism exhibit a wide variety of behavioral excesses and deficits when compared to children who are developing typically. These abnormalities usually include qualitative deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication, lack of reciprocal social interaction, and excessive disruptive and self-stimulatory behavior. Other behaviors that may be apparent are flattened, excessive, or otherwise inappropriate affect, self-injurious behavior, a preference for sameness in the environment, and isolated areas of exceptional performance (also termed savant skills).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • California Association of School Psychologists (1987). Documentation and Recommendations. Millbrae, California.

    Google Scholar 

  • Camarata, S. (1993). The application of naturalistic conversation training to speech production in children with speech disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26, 173–182.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Camarata, S., Koegel, L. K., & Koegel, R. L. (1993, November). Naturalistic treatment for disruptive behavior in autism and other disabilities with speech intelligibility problems. Speech presented at the American Speech, Language, and Hearing Association. Anaheim, California.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carr, E. G., & Durand, V. M. (1985). Reducing behavior problems through functional communication training. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 18, 111–126.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carr, E. G., Newsom, C. D., & Binkoff, J. A. (1980). Escape as a factor in the aggressive behavior of two retarded children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 18, 111–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charlop, M. H., Schreibman, L., & Thibodeau, M. G. (1985). Increasing spontaneous verbal responding in autistic children using a time delay procedure. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 18, 155–166.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Crystal, D. (1987). Toward a bucket theory of language disability: Taking account of interaction between linguistic levels. Clinical Linguistics and Phonetics, 1, 7–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dodge, K. A. (1983). Behavioral antecedents of social status. Child Development, 54, 1386–1399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunlap, G. (1984). The influence of task variation and maintenance tasks on the learning and affect of autistic children. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 37, 41–64.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dunlap, G., Kern-Dunlap, L., Clarke, S., & Robbins, F. R. (1991). Functional assessment, curricular revision, and severe behavior problems. Journal of Behavior Analysis, 24, 387–397.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunlap, G., de Perzzel, M., Clarke, S., Wilson, D., Wright, S., White R., & Gomez, A. (1994). Choice making and proactive behavioral support for students with emotional and behavioral challenges. Journal of Applied Behavioral Analysis, 27(3), 505–518.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Durand, V. M., & Carr, E. G. (1987). Social influences on “self-stimulatory” behavior: Analysis and treatment application. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 20, 119–132.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Durand, V. M., & Crimmins, D. B. (1988). Identifying the variables maintaining self-injurious behavior. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 18, 99–117.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dyer, K., Dunlap, G., & Winterling, V. (1990). Effects of choice making on the serious problem behaviors of students with severe handicaps. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 23, 515–524.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gresham, F. M. (1982). Misguided mainstreaming: The case for social skills training with handicapped children. Exceptional Children, 48, 422–433.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Haley, K. L., Camarata, S. M., & Nelson, K. E. (1994). Social valence in specifically language impaired children during imitation-based and conversation-based language intervention.-Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 37(2), 378–388.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hart, B. M., & Risley, T. R. (1980). In vivo language intervention: Unanticipated general effects. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 7, 243–256.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hung, D. W. (1977). Generalization of “curiosity” questioning behavior in autistic children. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 8, 237–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunt, P., Alwell, M., Goetz, L., & Sailor, W. (1990). Generalized effects of conversation skill training. The Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 15, 250–260.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, L. K., & Koegel, R. L. (1986). The effects of interspersed maintenance tasks on academic performance and motivation in a severe childhood stroke victim. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 19, 425–430.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, L. K., Koegel, R. L., Hurley, C., & Frea, W. D. (1992). Improving social skills and disruptive behavior in children with autism through self-management. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 341–353.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, L. K., Koegel, R. L., & Smith, A. E. (submitted for publication). The influence of motivation and attention in standardized testing of children with autism.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koegel L. K. (1993). Teaching children with autism to use a self-initiated strategy to learn expressive vocabulary. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of California, Santa Barbara.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, L. K., Valdez-Menchaca, M., & Koegel, R. L. (1993). Autism: A discussion from a social communication perspective. In. V. Van Hasselt & M. Hersen (Eds.), Advanced Abnormal Psychology (pp. 165–187). New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, R. L., Camarata, S. M., & Koegel, L. K. (1994). Aggression and noncompliance: Behavior modification through naturalistic language remediation. J. L. Matson (Ed.), Autism in children and adults: Etiology, assessment, and intervention (pp. 165–180). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, R. L., Dyer, K., & Bell, L. K. (1987). The influence of child-preferred activities on autistic children’s social behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 20, 243–252.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, R. L., & Frea, W. D. (1993). Treatment of social behavior in autism through the modification of pivotal pragmatic skills. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26, 369–377.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, R. L., Koegel, L. K., & Surratt, A. V. (1993). Language intervention and disruptive behavior in preschool children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders,. 22, 141–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, R. L., & Mentis, M. (1985). Annotation Motivation in childhood autism: Can they or won’t they?. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 26, 185–191.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, R. L., O’Dell, M. C., Dunlap, G. (1988). Producing speech use in nonverbal autistic children by reinforcing attempts. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 18, 525–538.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, R. L., O’Dell, M. C., & Koegel, L. K. (1987). A natural language teaching paradigm for teaching nonverbal autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 17, 187–199.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koegel, R. L., & Williams, J. (1980). Direct vs. indirect response-reinforcer relationships in teaching autistic children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 4, 537–547.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambert, N. M. (1981). The clinical validity of the process for assessment of effective student functioning. Journal of School Psychology, 19, 323–334.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laski, K. E., Charlop, M. H., Schreibman, L. (1988). Training parents to use the natural language paradigm to increase their autistic children’s speech. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 21, 391–400.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, J. (1981). Assessing language production in children. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neef, N. A., Iwata, B. A., & Page, T. J. (1980). The effects of interspersal training versus high density reinforcement on spelling acquisition and retention. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 13, 153–158.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’Neill, R. E. (1987). Environmental interactions of normal children and children with autism. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of California at Santa Barbara.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peck, C. A. (1985). Increasing opportunities for social control by children with autism and severe handicaps: Effects on student behavior and perceived classroom climate. Journal of The Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 10, 183–193.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sailor, W., Gerry, M., & Wilson, W. (1991a). Disability and school integration. In T. Husen & T. N. Postlethwaite (Eds.), International encyclopedia of education: Research and studies (2nd suppl.). Oxford, England: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sailor, W., Gerry, M., & Wilson, W. (1991b). Policy implication of emergent full models for the education of students with severe disabilities. In M. Wang, H. Walberg, & M. Reyonaldo (Eds.), Handbook of special education (Vol. 4). Oxford, England: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P., Maier, S. F., & Geer, J. (1968). The alleviation of learned helplessness in the dog. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 73, 256–262.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turnbull, H. R., III. (1993). Free appropriate public education: The law and children with disabilities. Denver, CO: Love.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warren, S. F., & Kaiser, A. P. (1986). Incidental language teaching: A critical review. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 51, 291–299.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wetherby, A. M., & Prutting, C. A. (1984). Profiles of communicative and cognitive-social abilities in autistic children. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 27, 364–377.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, J. A., Koegel, R. L., & Egel, A. L. (1981). Response-reinforcer relationships and improved learning in autistic children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 14, 53–60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, T. S. (1983). Some issues in the standardized testing of minority students. Journal of Education, 165, 192–208.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoder, P. J., Kaiser, A. P., & Alpert, C. L. (1991). An exploratory study of the interaction between language teaching methods and characteristics. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 34, 155–167.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yoder, P. J., Kaiser, A. P., Alpert, C. L., & Fischer, R. (1993). Following the child’s lead when teaching nouns to preschoolers with mental retardation. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 36, 158–167.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Autism Research Center, Counseling/Clinical/School Psychology Program, Graduate School of Education, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, 93106, USA

    Lynn Kern Koegel & Robert L. Koegel

Authors
  1. Lynn Kern Koegel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robert L. Koegel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA

    Eric Schopler  & Gary B. Mesibov  & 

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1995 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Koegel, L.K., Koegel, R.L. (1995). Motivating Communication in Children with Autism. In: Schopler, E., Mesibov, G.B. (eds) Learning and Cognition in Autism. Current Issues in Autism. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1286-2_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1286-2_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-1288-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-1286-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation