A comparison of Video Modeling and Pivotal Response Training to teach pretend play skills to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2010.10.002

Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Volume 5, Issue 2, April–June 2011, Pages 872-884

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2010.10.002 Get rights and content

Abstract

This study aimed to directly compare the effectiveness of Pivotal Response Training (PRT) and Video Modeling (VM) in the acquisition and generalization of scripted play verbalizations and actions as well as the use of novel statements or actions in both the training and generalization settings. All five participants were exposed to both conditions and were randomly assigned to the sequence of treatment conditions: participants in Sequence 1 received Condition 1 (VM) followed by and Condition 2 (PRT); participants in Sequence 2 received Condition 2 followed by Condition 1. Results showed a significant increase in the number of play actions for both the PRT and VM conditions in the training environment, with greater increases evident as a result of PRT. Significant increases were also found in the number of play actions in PRT compared to VM in the generalization environment.

Research highlights

▶ Teaching pretend play skills to children with Autism ▶ Teaching pretend play actions and verbalizations ▶ A comparison of Video Modeling and Pivotal Response Training; Generalization of pretend play skills to new environments

Section snippets

Inclusion criteria for participation and measures

Inclusion criteria were set to ensure that the participants had adequate language ability to commence instruction in pretend play skills. All participants were required to have a similar language ability to typically developing children age two years of age given that it is in the second year of development that pretend play skills emerge. Secondly, measures of autism severity and play skills were taken to verify that there were no differences between the participants on these variables prior

Preliminary analysis

Independent t-tests were conducted to examine differences between participant's baseline assessments of age, IQ, verbal comprehension and naming vocabulary, level of autism severity and the five types of play measured using the PPBS: reticent play, solitary-passive play, solitary-active play, social play, and rough and tumble play. For participant characteristics see Table 1.

No significant difference was found between age, IQ test scores, verbal comprehension, naming vocabulary and autism

Discussion

Results of the current study found that children with ASD who have sufficient language skills can increase their pretend play skills through Pivotal Response Training and Video Modeling. The results show that Pivotal Response Training had a significant increase in the number of play actions emitted by the participants in the follow-up probe compared to the baseline probe in the training environment. In this condition participants showed a mean difference between probes of 11.6 actions.

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^☆: This research was conducted by the first author under the supervision of the second and third authors in partial fulfillment of the requirements for her MA degree in ABA at NUI, Galway. The authors would like to thank the participants, St. Catherine's Special Needs School Barnacoyle, Ábalta ABA School and Olivia Murphy for their participation and assistance in conducting this research.

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A comparison of Video Modeling and Pivotal Response Training to teach pretend play skills to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder☆

Abstract

Research highlights

Section snippets

Inclusion criteria for participation and measures

Preliminary analysis

Discussion

Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders

Autism and symbolic play

British Journal of Developmental Psychology

The emergence of symbols: Cognitive and communication in infancy

Bayley Scales of Infant Development

Teaching autistic children conversational speech using video modeling

Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis

Using video modeling to teach perspective taking to children with autism

Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions

A comparison of video modeling with in vivo modeling for teaching children with autism

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

Exploring and assessing non-social play in the preschool: The development and validation of the preschool play behavior scale

Social Development

Using video modeling to teach complex play sequences to a preschooler with autism

Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions

Using video-enhanced activity schedules and matrix training to teach sociodramatic play to a child with autism

Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions

The British Ability Scales: Introductory handbook, technical handbook and manuals for administration and scoring

The factorial structure and specificity of the British Ability Scales

British Journal of Psychology

British Ability Scales II

Using point of view video modeling to teach play to preschoolers with autism

Topics in Early Childhood and Special Education

Motivating autistic children

Journal of Abnormal Psychology

Motivation in childhood autism: Can they or won’t they?

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry

A natural language teaching paradigm for nonverbal autistic children

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

How to teach pivotal behaviors to children with autism: A training manual

Autism screening instrument for educational planning. ASIEP-2

Spontaneous, instructed and elicited play in relatively able autistic children

British Journal of Developmental Psychology