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Stimulus overselectivity in autistic, trainable mentally retarded, and non-handicapped children: Comparative research controlling chronological (rather than mental) age

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Abstract

Much of the comparative research on stimulus overselectivity has been flawed by either failure to control for chronological age and language ability of the subjects or reliance on the controversial technique of matching on mental age. The present study investigated the prevalence of overselectivity in autistic, trainable mentally retarded, and non-handicapped children demonstrating some expressive speech. The ages of the children were between 6 years-6 months and 9 years-3 months. Thus, chronological age and language ability were controlled, rather than allowed to vary unsystematically. Results indicated no significant differences between the autistic and TMR samples, but significant differences between the handicapped samples and the non-handicapped group. Some, but not all, of the handicapped children displayed overselectivity.

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Reference notes

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Follow Through Project, Department of Special Education, University of Oregon, 97403, Eugene, Oregon

    Russell Gersten

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  1. Russell Gersten
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Additional information

This paper is based on a doctoral dissertation completed at the University of Oregon. Benson Schaeffer, Lewis Goldberg, and Barbara Bateman offered invaluable assistance throughout all phases of the project. The author wishes to thank Stan Paine, Harriet Kandelman, and especially Doug Carnine and Bill White for careful critical readings of earlier drafts. Edna Kleinman and Adrienne Gersten of the National Society for Autistic Children were extremely helpful and supportive in the day-to-day logistics of the study. Most especially the author wishes to express his appreciation to Mike Manfra, Larry McLeod, Steve Miliaras, Dale Petell, Stephen Reilly, Fred Harvey, Geoffrey Frank, and John Fricke for the invaluable insights they provided on issues in learning and language development of children with severe communication disabilities.

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Gersten, R. Stimulus overselectivity in autistic, trainable mentally retarded, and non-handicapped children: Comparative research controlling chronological (rather than mental) age. J Abnorm Child Psychol 11, 61–75 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00912178

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00912178

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