Unit 2 Notes Flashcards
A Brief History of a Verbal Bx Assessment
- B.F. Skinner began his work on Verbal Bx in 1934
- Skinner published the book VB in 1957
- Skinner along with his long-term colleagues Fred Keller were the primary founders of the branch of psychology known as Bx Analysis
History (contd…)
- Skinner’s analysis VB 1957
- Jack.M teacher of Skinner’s analysis of VB started (1955)
- Jack taught Bx analysis at Uni of Kansas (1955-6), Uni of Houston (1956-1958)
- Jack M. has been considered as 1 of the main Founders of the Field of ABA
History (Contd…)
Lee Meyerson
- Lee Meyerson got Jack Micheal involved in Rehabilitation and developmental disabilities at Arizona State Uni
- Meyerson & Micheal published several research papers together during the 1950s & 1960s
- Meyerson developed the Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities (ABLA)
History (contd..)
Montrose Wolf
-Montrose Wolf was Jack M. 2nd PH.D student @ Arizona State Uni & along with Don Baer & Todd Risley provided the foundation for Modern ABA & behavioral Autism treatment later called DTA/ABA. Montrose Wolf founded JABA & was 1sr Editor of that Journal
History (contd..)
Joseph Spradin
- Was first to Systematically apply Skinner’s analysis of VB to language Assessment (and intervention)
- “The Parsons Language Sample” (1963) by Joe Spradin
History (Contd….)
-During the 1960s & 1970s there were 100s of ppl who contributed to the development of ABA & Language assessment & intervention for the developmentally disabled (e.g. Baer, Bailey, Bijou, Engleman, Guess, Hart, Kent, Lovass, Lutzker, Risley, Sailor, Sherman, Spradlin, Terrace, Touchette, wolf)
History (Contd…)
- There was also a # of Bx Analysts focusing on Skinner’s analysis of VB (e.g. Catania, Cook, Moore)
- During the 1970s approx 50 VB research Projects were conducted @ the Kalamazoo Valley Multihandicap Center (KVMC) under the direction of Jack Michael, Mark Sundberg & Jerry shook
- Most of these projects were awmua Masters theses & Doctoral dissertations & were also Presented @ MABA & ABA conventions
The university professor who has been the primary teacher of Skinner’s analysis of Verbal BX over the past 50 yrs is:
a) Murray Sidman
b) Nate Azrin
c) Ogden Lindsey
d) Jack Michael
d) Jack Michael
The clinical researcher who was the first to apply Skinner’s analysis of VB to language assessment for the developmentally disabled was:
a) Joseph Spradlin
b) Don Baer
c) Jerry Shook
d) Montrose Wolf
a) Joseph Spradlin
During the 1970s Jack Michael was the research advisor for over 50 VB research projects conducted at:
a) Parsons State Hospital
b) Juniper Gardens
c) The New England Center for Autism
d) The Kalamazoo Valley Multihandicap Center
d) The Kalamazoo Valley Multihandicap Center
The Purpose of a Language Assessment
- Determine the Operant level of a child’s verbal (and related) skills
- Compare to typical language development data
- Identify language acquisition & learning “Barriers”
- If & where to begin intervention (placement)
- Establish IEP Goals
- Design an individualized curriculum/intervention program
- Teaching Strategies
- Is the intervention prog Working? Why/why not?
- A tool to demonstrate learning, track Progress make changes, provide outcome measures
Traditional Language Assessment
- Cognitive and/or biological variables seen as the primary sources of Control for verbal responses
- Based on the expressive-receptive distinction, mediated by cognitive processors
- Norm referenced & Standardized assessments
- Peabody pic vocal test
- Expressive one-word vocabulary test
Behavioral Language Assessment
- The verbal operant is the functional Unit (form & function)
- Environmental variables are viewed as the relevant sources of control for verbal responses, rather than cognitive/biological variables
- Each verbal operants involves sources of control (independent variables), thus each must be Assessed
- Most verbal responses are under Multiple sources of control
- More complex VB is comprised of various Combinations of the verbal operants
- Speaker & listener as separate Repertoires
- Criterion-referenced assessment
The application of Skinner’s analysis of VB to language assessment suggests that:
a) Language should be assessed by accepted ABA procedures
b) Language should be assess by its functional properties
c) Language should be assessed in terms of its form & function
d) Language should be assessed in the natural environment
c) Language should be assessed in terms of its form & function
Skinner’s analysis of VB proposes that the Unit of analysis in the measurement of language should be:
a) The mean length of utterance
b) The phrase structure
c) The antecedent-bx-consequence relation
d) Reinforcement & punishment
c) The antecedent-bx-consequence relation
In addition to assessing the elementary verbal operants, it is also imp to analyze & assess:
a) All cognitive variables related to language development
b) The linguistic barriers that maybe preventing Verbal development
c) The intraverbal repertoire in great detail
d) The mand repertoire in great detail
b) The linguistic barriers that maybe preventing Verbal development
The problem with assessment based on the traditional distinction btw expressive & receptive language is that:
a) It takes too long to assess all the skills
b) The categories of expressive & receptive blend imp distinction btw mand, tact, intraverbal & listener skills
c) There is no distinction btw expressive & receptive language
d) Expressive & receptive language do not account for sign language & picture systems
b) The categories of expressive & receptive blend imp distinction btw mand, tact, intraverbal & listener skills
The focus of traditional language assessment is on:
a) Response form, mean-length-of utterance, & age equivalents
b) Speech only
c) Cognitive growth
d) Articulation & communication errors
a) Response form, mean-length-of utterance, & age equivalents
A standardized language assessment is:
a) Criterion referenced
b) Both norm referenced & criterion referenced
c) Norm referenced
d) Neither norm referenced or criterion referenced
c) Norm referenced
The Importance of Language and Social Behavior
- The primary focus of an intervention program for children with autism should be on the development of Effective language & Social Skills
- There clearly are several other areas in need, such self-care, visual motor skills, academics, fine & gross motor etc, but language & social skills are typically the most significant Deficits for children with autism & careful Training is the key to the most significant gains
- The failure to conduct an Appropriate assessment results in one of the biggest problems in prog that serve children with autism or other development disabilities. An appropriate Curriculum
The Behavioral Classification of Language (Skinner, 1957)
- Mand: Asking for reinforcers. Asking for “shoes” because you want your shoes
- Tact: Naming/identifying objects, actions, events etc. Saying “shoes” because you see you shoes
- Listener: Following instructions/complying with the mands of others. Touching a picture of shoes when asked “Touch the shoes”
- Echoic: Repeating what is heard. Saying “shoes” after someone else says “shoes”
The Behavioral Classification of Language
Contd….
- Imitation: Copying someone’s Motor movement (as they relate to sign language)
- Copying-a-text: Writing “shoes” cuz some1 else writes “shoes”
- Intraverbal: Answering ques or having conversations where ur Words are controlled by other words. Saying “shoes” cuz some1 else says “what do you need to put on ur feet?”
- Textual: Reading words. Saying “shoes” cuz you see the written word “shoes”
- Transcription: Writing & spelling words spoken to you. Writing “shoes” cuz you hear “shoes” spoken
Problems with the ABLLS (Partington & Sundberg, 1998)
- A significant improvement over Spradlin 1963; Sundberg, et al, 1979; Sundberg, 1983, 87, 90
- Too many Skills to assess (476, over 1500 cell with the 1-4 criteria)
- Steps on the cells were too Small for IEP goals (Milestones are better)
- Skills not developmentally Balanced out on the grids
- Much of it is out of Developmental sequence (as I see it now)
- Core sequence of verbal skills if 26 yr old (Sundberg, 1983)
- Just a listing of skills with e.g. & a scoring criteria
- Confusing progression of skills; up/out?
- No Content on wat constitutes Mands, Tacts, Intraverbals etc
- No Content on what constitutes Mands, Tacts, Intraverbals etc
- No content/text on how to Conduct a VB analysis
Problems with ABLLS
Partington & Sundberg, 1998
- Not a “curriculum” for language intervention “curriculum Guide”
- Originally, the ABLLS was designed to Accompany the “Teaching Language to Children with Autism” book (The ABLLS was not designed to serve as a stand alone product)
- Not enough info in the individual cells to explain the skill being assessed & the relevant sources of control (e.g. noun-verb tacting, mands for info, multiply controlled intraverbal bx)
- No VB analysis of language & learning barriers (a major component of assessment)
- No Placement system (e.g. when to start IV)
- No Transition assessment
An assessment based on VB assesses:
a) All of the elementary verbal operants & other language related skills such as matching, social Bx, play skills & listener skills
b) Only the verbal operants
c) The linguistic structure of English
d) Expressive & receptive language
a) All of the elementary verbal operants & other language related skills such as matching, social Bx, play skills & listener skills
The failure to adequately assess a child’s language & related skills, & his language & learning barriers often results in:
a) Self-injurious or aggressive Bx
b) An inappropriate language & social skills curriculum
c) The need for more extensive services
d) A less expensive program
b) An inappropriate language & social skills curriculum
Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program:
The VB-MAPP
- Based on Skinner’s (1957) analysis of VB
- Based on Typical language development milestones
- An assessment should Probe a representative sample of a repertoire
- Typical verbal milestones provide the Frame for the sample
- By identifying milestones, as opposed to a whole task analysis, the focus can be sharper, the direction clearer
- Milestones can help to avoid focusing on Minor steps & targeting skills for intervention that are developmentally inappropriate
Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment & Placement Program:
The VB-MAPP
- Field test data from approx 75 typically developing children
- Field test data from over 200 children with autism
- Based on the body of empirical Research that provides the foundation of BX analysis
- Based on the empirical research on Skinner’s analysis of VB
Verbal BX Milestones Assessment & Placement Program:
The VB-MAPP
- There are 5 components of the VB-MAPP
- The VB-MAPP: Milestones Assessment contains 170 VB milestones across 3 developmental levels (0-18 months, 18-30 months, 30-48 months) & 16 different Verbal operants & related skills
- The VB MAPP: Barriers Assessment examines 24 common learning & language barriers faced by children with autism
- The VB MAPP: Transition Assessment evaluates a child’s ability to learn in a less restrictive educational environment across 18 different skills
Verbal BX Milestones Assessment & Placement Program:
The VB-MAPP
- The VB-MAPP: Skills Task Analysis & Tracking provides a further breakdown of the different skill areas in the form of a Checklist for skills tracking
- The VB-MAPP: Placement & IEP Goals provides recommendations for program development for children based on their VB-MAPP profiles & their specific scores for each of the 170 milestones & 24 Barriers. In addition, over 200 IEP Objectives directly linked to the skills & barriers assessments, & a VB intervention prog are provided
The VB Milestones Assessment & Progress Prog (VB-MAPP) is based on:
a) The linguistic framework developed by Dr. Roger Brown
b) Discrete trial & ABA instructional methodology
c) Developmental linguistics
d) Skinner’s analysis of VB & typical language development milestones
d) Skinner’s analysis of VB & typical language development milestones
The VB Milestones Assessment & Progress Program (VB-MAPP) is designed to:
a) Assess language & social skills & assess learning, language and social impairments
b) Assess language skills
c) Assess bx problems
d) Asses linguistic structure
a) Assess language & social skills & assess learning, language and social impairments
The VB-MAPP Milestones Assessment covers the language skills of a typically developing child:
a) Btw 0 to 10 yrs old
b) Btw 0 to 4 yrs old
c) Btw 0 to 2 yrs old
d) Btw 4 to 6 yrs old
b) btw 0 to 4 yrs old
While using “milestones” as a measure in assessment rather than individual skills from a task analysis, the intervention program
a) Does not require reliability & validity measures
b) Requires more data collection
c) Takes loner to implement
d) Can be better focused on long-term goals & a clearer direction for the overall intervention program
d) Can be better focused on long-term goals & a clearer direction for the overall intervention program
Verbal BX Milestones Assessment & Placement Program:
The VB-MAPP Skills Assessment
- The 16 sills assessed on the VB-Mapp include:
- The Elementary Verbal operants (e.g mand, tact, echoic, intraverbal)
- The Listener skills
- Vocal output
- Independent Play
- Social skills & social play
- Visual perceptual skills & matching -to-sample
- Grammatical & syntactical skills
- Group & Classroom skills
- Beginning Academic skills
Verbal BX Milestones Assessment & Placement Prog:
The VB-MAPP Skills Assessment
- The milestones are broken into 3 developmental levels
- Level 1: 0-18 months
- Level 2: 18-30 months
- Level 3: 30-48 Months
- The scores for each skill are approx Balanced across each level
- There are 5 items & 5 possible points for each skill area-There are 3 boxes in all sections for 3 separate admin
- Each of 170 items is scored 0, 1 or 1/2 based on criterion in VB-MAPP instruction manual
- Looking for the Operant lev
By balancing out the Verbal operants based on typical language development:
a) You cannot tell when to start intraverbal training
b) It’s hard to compare the rate of tact acquisition to Mand & intraverbal acquisition
c) The level of each skill can be easily visually compares to the other verbal operants & the related skills
c) You cannot account for splinter skills
c) The level of each skill can be easily visually compares to the other verbal operants & the related skills
Many of the early language skills emitted by typically developing children are:
a) Under one source of control
b) Hard to measure
c) Expressions of cognitive functions
d) Multiply controlled by both MOs and SDs
d) Multiply controlled by both MOs and SDs
When the VB-MAPP Master Scoring Form is completed, a visual review of the form:
a) Can reveal approx verbal age levels, strengths & weaknesses, & if the skills are in balance when compared to each other
b) Can tell you child’s chronological age’
c) Can identify if the child has autism
d) Can be used in litigation
a) Can reveal approx verbal age levels, strengths & weaknesses, & if the skills are in balance when compared to each other
The VB-MAPP Milestones Assessment should be conducted:
a) Every month
b) Once a yr
c) Weekly
d) Every 3 yrs
b) Once a year
VB Milestones Assessment & Placement Program:
The VB-MAPP Skills Assessment
- The total for the 5 items is marked on the top of each skill area
- The totals for each skill area are Added for all 3 levels & placed on the VB-MAPP Scoring Form
- The total scorn the Echoic sub-test is converted to a milestone score on the VB-MAPP form
- The specific items on the VB-MAPP have been adjusted many times based on the field-test data
The Early Echoic Skills Assessment (EESA) was developed by:
a) Jack Michael, Ph.D
b) Jose Martinez-Diaz, Ph.D.
c) Barbara ESCH, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
d) Mark Sundberg, Ph.D.
c) Barbara ESCH, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
The scores from the Early Echoic Skills Assessment (EESA):
a) Should be added together & converted according to the formula described in the echoic section of the Milestones Assessment
b) Are not included in the child’s overall score
c) Can tell you the child’s age
d) Help to identify the need for mand training
a) Should be added together & converted according to the formula described in the echoic section of the Milestones Assessment
A child with ASD might emit a response that has the same form as that of a typically developing child (e.g. asking “what’s your name?”), but:
a) The response may be echolalic
b) The response maybe a mand & a tact
c) The response maybe prompted
d) The response may occur for the wrong function
d) The response may occur for the wrong function
If a child meets a particular milestone:
a) Begin taking baseline data on the next milestone
b) Begin an intervention prog on that milestone
c) The related box on the VB-MAPP master Scoring Form should be shaded in
d) The assessments is finished
c) The related box on the VB-MAPP master Scoring Form should be shaded in
If a child meets a particular milestone he is given:
a) 10 points
b) 1 point
c) 1/2 point
d) No points
b) 1 point
Points are added together for each skill area then:
a) Points from all the skill areas are added together & places in the “score” box on the VB-MAPP Master Scoring Form
b) Points are not used in any significant manner
c) Points for the verbal skills are doubled & added to the other areas
d) Points for each skill area should be graphed using a cumulative recording system
a) Points from all the skill areas are added together & places in the “score” box on the VB-MAPP Master Scoring Form
If a child fails to obtain any points on three milestones in a row in a specific skill area:
a) Go back and re-test each skill
b) End the assessment on that skill area
c) Obtain a reliability measure
d) Begin the intervention program
b) End the assessment on that skill area
The best results from a VB-MAPP Assessment are obtained by someone who:
a) Knows the child well
b) Is formally trained in Bx analysis, Skinner’s analysis of VB & has a working knowledge of basic linguistic structure & grammer
c) Any professional who is responsible for developing & monitoring the educational prog for a particular child
d) Is a Board Certified Behavioral Analyst
b) Is formally trained in Bx analysis, Skinner’s analysis of VB & has a working knowledge of basic linguistic structure & grammar
VB Milestones Assessment and Placement Program:
The VB-MAPP Barriers Assessment
- Imp to find out what child can do, but also Can’t do & why?
- VB-MAPP barriers assessment is a tool designed to Identify & score 24 different learning & language acquisition barriers
- 1ce specific barrier identified - detailed FA required
- many ways Verbal repertoire/related skill can become Defective & individualized analysis necessary to determine nature of prob for specific child & wat intervention prog might be appropriate
Verbal BX Milestones Assessment and Placement Program:
The VB-MAPP Barriers Assessment
Defective Verbal BX
- A descriptive Functional Analysis of VB
- A bx analysis of words, phrases & sentences emitted by children with autism
- Same basic principles of bx as Nonverbal bx
- What is source of control?
- These sources of control often reveal wat appears to be correct response in Form is actually incorrect in function
- Might not be the same source of control observed in a typically developing child
- Each verbal operant can be susceptible to Unwanted sources of control
Verbal BX Milestones Assessment and Placement Program:
The VB-MAPP Barriers Assessment
- Defective Mands
- Defective tacts
- Defective Intraverbals responses
- The Bx analysts must determine wat the correct source of control should be, & how tht source can be established
- The FA of VB is on-going
- The failure to conduct such an analysis may result in rote/defective Verbal repertoires tht can become difficult to Change
- This is hoe Bx analysis is different this is wat we do as BX analysts
Verbal BX Milestones Assessment and Placement Program:
The VB-MAPP Barriers Assessment
*Common Learning & Language Acquisition Barriers
- Instructional control (Escape/avoidance)
- Bx problems
- Defective mand
- Defective tact
- Defective motor imitation
- Defective motor imitation
- Defective Echoic
- Defective matching-to-sample
- Defective listener repertoires
- Defective intraverbal
- Defective play & Social skills
- Scrolling responses
- Failure to make conditional discrimination
- Failure to generalize
- Hyperactivity
- Weal/atypical MOs
- Response requirements weakens the MO
- Self-stimulation
- RX dependent
- Sensory defensiveness
Verbal BX Milestones Assessment and Placement Program:
The VB-MAPP Barriers Assessment
*Scoring the VB-MAPP Barriers Form
- Rate the child on the VB-MAPP Barriers Assessment Form using a Likert-type scale 0-4
- A score of 0 or 1 would indicate that there are no Significant barriers & a formal intervention plan may not be required
- A score of 2-3 or 4 would indicate that there is a barrier tht probably should be addressed as part of intervention
- For some children the immediate focus of intervention prog is on removing a particular barrier, rather then lang instruction
- most common immediate barriers to remove involve instructional control prob or other BX prob
The VB-MAPP Barriers Assessment uses a Likert Scale designed to identify:
a) Potential language & learning problems that are preventing a child from making greater gains
b) How long it takes to acquire new skills
c) Expressive & receptive language barriers
d) How to transition a child to a less restrictive env
a) Potential language & learning problems that are preventing a child from making greater gains
Once a barrier has been identified on the Likert scale the next step is to:
a) Write a report
b) Conducting the VB-MAPP transition Assessment
c) Design a punishment procedure for the most intrusive barrier
d) Conduct a descriptive or functional analysis of the problem
d) Conduct a descriptive or functional analysis of the problem
Many children with autism:
a) Are effected by 1 or 2 barriers
b) Are not affected by barriers
c) Maybe affected by 5 or more barriers
d) Are affected by all the barriers
c) Maybe affected by 5 or more barriers
The main task in identifying the nature of a barrier is to:
a) Determine the child’s intentions
b) Conduct a psychological test
c) Identify the sources of antecedent & Consequent control
d) Obtain content for a written report
c) Identify the sources of antecedent & Consequent control
Barriers are common for children with language delays & often:
a) Only the tact is affected by barriers
b) Only matching-to-sample is affected by barriers
c) Removing the barrier should be the immediate focus of the intervention prog
d) The barrier will go away by itself
c) Removing the barrier should be the immediate focus of the intervention prog
An impaired many maybe demonstrated by:
a) The same word or sign (e.g. more) being used for all sources of motivation
b) A mand that is only controlled by motivation
c) A mand that occurs spontaneously
d) A mand that does not stop until it gets reinforced
a) The same word or sign (e.g. more) being used for all sources of motivation
An impaired matching-to-sample repertoire maybe related to:
a) Defective cognitive processing
b) A low IQ
c) Apraxia
d) The failure to scan the visual array
d) The failure to scan the visual array
An impaired tact repertoire maybe due to:
a) Failing to teach matching-to-sample repertoire
b) Teaching verbs, adjectives and prepositions before tacts of nouns are well established
c) Poor cognitive processing
d) Aphasia
b) Teaching verbs, adjectives and prepositions before tacts of nouns are well established
The VB-MAPP Transition Assessment
- A common Goal for many educators & parents of children with special needs is to integrate the child into a mainstream setting
- There are many diff levels of integration and the Transition Assessment was designed to identify the skills tht increase the probability tht a child will be successful in less restrictive setting
- No single skill will be good determiner of success but a collective body of skills can help educates & parents make decisions
- The VB-MAPP Transition Assessment provides a tool to help determine if a child has necessary prerequisite skills to learn in less restrictive classroom env
- There are 18 skill areas on the Transition Assessment
The VB-MAPP Transition Assessment was designed to:
a) Determine if a child can move well btw teaching sessions
b) Be used in litigation & fair hearings
c) Provide some data for making decisions regarding the type of educational prog that might best benefit a child
d) Determine if a child need VB training
c) Provide some data for making decisions regarding the type of educational prog that might best benefit a child
The VB-MAPP Transition Assessment covers:
a) Only the summed scores from the Milestones & the Barriers Assessment
b) Scores for 18 different skill areas
c) A summation of all assessments from a 3-yr evaluation
d) A functional analysis of Bx problems
b) Scores for 18 different skill areas
The VB-MAPP
Task Analysis & Skills Tracking
- The Milestones can be considered floors in a building, & the task analysis contains the Steps btw each floor
- There are 170 milestones & approx 900 total tasks in the VB-MAPP task analysis
- The task analysis form also allow for more Detailed skills tracking
- Building a whole Repertoire not just Individual skills (e.g. mand. tact, M-T-S repertoire)
The VB-MAPP Transition Assessment is scored by using:
a) A Likert type scale
b) Converted IQ scores
c) The results of a functional analysis
d) The results of a speech & language evaluation
a) A Likert type scale
The most important part o transitioning a child to a less restrictive environment is that:
a) The new environment is the least expensive
b) The new Env results in the most effective learning possible for a child
c) The new env has the least amount of support
d) The new environment does not contain any ABA therapy
b) The new Env results in the most effective learning possible for a child
The decision to place a child in a least restrictive setting is the sole responsibility of:
a) The class teacher along with a Board Certified Bx Analyst
b) School district administrators
c) The child’s parents
d) The IEP team as a whole
d) The IEP team as a whole
Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program:
IEP Goals and Placement
- The results of the VB-MAPP Skills and Barriers Assessment provide Guidance for the development for an Intervention prog
- Specific IEP Goals are provided for each milestone & barrier
- The assessment Corresponds with the VB intervention prog
What is Intraverbal BX?
- is a type of VB where Form of the response is under the Functional Control of antecedent verbal discriminative stimulus (Sd) & some type of generalized conditioned RX
- The verbal stimulus & the verbal do no Match each other
Intraverbal BX
- A young Child Early intraverbal BX maybe relatively simple such filling in the words of songs for Fun activities
- These responses maybe Multiple controlled (e.g. MO)
- But intraverbal BX soon becomes quite Complex & a significant part of a developing child’s daily VB
How is the Intraverbal Different from the Mand, Tact & Echoic?
Antecedent -> BX-> Consequence
- MO -> Mand -> Specific RX
- Nonverbal Sd -> Tact -> Generalized RX
- Verbal SD (with match) -> Echoic -> Gen RX
- Verbal Sd (w/o match) -> Intraverbal -> Gen RX
Common Intraverbal Problems Experienced by Children with Autism
- Absent/weak intraverbal Bx, despite strong mands, tacts & listener skills
- Rote intraverbal responses
- Difficulty ans que –esp Complex ques
- Excessive rote Scripting
- No Conversational skills
- Echolalia with intraverbal ques
- Poor Peer intraverbal interaction
- Irrelevant intraverbal Bx
- Self as a listener with overt intraverbal Bx
Why the Intraverbal Repertoire maybe Absent, Weak or Impaired
- There are many potential Causes of intraverbal prob. Here are a few:
- Child has not received formal Intraverbal training
- Child is given training but it’s too Early to focus on intravervals
- Are not in child’s repertoire
- Single Verbal stimuli & single verbal responses has been Over conditioned
- The intraverbal curriculum is out of Developmental sequence
- The child doesn’t have sufficient training on Verbal conditional discriminations
Conditional Discriminations
- “What the nature or extent of operant control by a stimulus condition Depends on some other stimulus condition:
- One discriminative stimulus or MO alters the evocative effect of a second stimulus & establishes the second stimulus as an Sd or MO & they collectively evoke a response
Verbal Conditional Discriminations (VC)
- What Constitutes a Verbal conditional discrimination & an intraverbal response?
- 2 components of a verbal stimulus where one verbal stimulus alters the evocative effect of the second verbal stimulus & collectively they evoke a differential intraverbal response
- Skinner calls this a “compound verbal stimulus” but does not use the term “verbal conditioned discrimination”
Verbal Conditional Discriminations (VCd)
*Antecedent -> Intraverbal Response
*Some e.g include:
- Big animal -> Lion
- Little animal -> Mouse
- VCd = VSd alters the Evocative effect of Vid or vice versa
- A correct response is Dependent on VC btw words, if individual words are the source of control errors will occur
Teaching Intraverbal BX to Children with Autism
- Many children with autism have a difficult time acquiring intraverbal bx bcuz beyond Simple intraverbals, most intraverbal responses are part of a VCdS
- For e.g. What’s you cat’s name?, What’s my cat’s name? What did the cat chase?
Most intraverbal Bx requires:
a) Extensive auditory processing
b) Verbal conditional discriminations
c) A strong motivate variable
d) A nonverbal env to talk about
b) Verbal conditional discriminations
A verbal conditional discrimination involves:
a) Both a verbal stimulus & a verbal response
b) A nonverbal response that is evoked by two verbal stimuli
c) A verbal stimulus that is part of a matching to sample discrimination
d) A verbal stimulus that alters the evocative effect of another verbal stimulus
d) A verbal stimulus that alters the evocative effect of another verbal stimulus
Two main reasons why why intraverbal Bx might be problematic for a child with autism are that:
a) The related tact skills are not strong in the child’s repertoire, & he may not have an MO to learn intraverbals
b) There is not enough teaching time spent on intraverbal Bx, & it is incompatible with the standard DTT format
c) Intraverbal training is often not part of the intervention prog, or the intraverbal curriculum used is out of a developmental sequence
d) Staff are unaware of how to teach intraverbal bx, & the child can not learn it due to autism
c) Intraverbal training is often not part of the intervention prog, or the intraverbal curriculum used is out of a developmental sequence
Many children with autism:
a) Fail to acquire much significant intraverbal Bx
b) Demonstrate an intra verbal repertoire commensurate with their typically developing peers
c) Acquire intraverbal bx before Manding
d) Acquire intraverbal bx through reading
a) Fail to acquire much significant intraverbal Bx
The interaverbal needs to be assessed separately from the Mand, Tact & Echoic because:
a) The intraverbal is controlled by a completely different set of antecedent variables
b) The intraverbal is much harder for children with autism
c) The intraverbal is controlled by nonverbal stimuli
d) The intraverbal is controlled by motivational variables
a) The intraverbal is controlled by a completely different set of antecedent variables
Typical children begin to emit intraverbal bx when they are about:
a) 1 yr old
b) 2 yr old
c) 3 yr old
d) 4 yr old
b) 2 yr old
Current Study
- Is there a general Sequence of increasingly complex verbal stimuli & VCdS that can be used for assessment & intervention?
- When are typically developing children successful at these tasks?
- A Revised version of the 80-item intraverbal subtest of the VB-MAPP was designed with increasingly complex intraverbal tasks, This version was modified as Function of previous field-test data
- This is 3rd large-scale administration of the VB-MAPP IV subject
Results and Error Analysis for the Typically Developing Children
1-2 yr old
- 1 1/2 yr old: 20-30 mands & tacts, IV Assessment scores: Less than 5, Generally no IV bx
- 2 yr olds 100-200 range, IV Assessment scores 10-30 range, Some Intraverbal bx, can do fill in songs, animal sounds, common fill on, limited WH ques, lots of echoic repose
Results and Error Analysis for the Typically Developing Children
21/2 yr olds
- 200-400 mands & tacts
- IV Assessment scores: 20-40 Range
- Some Simple intraverbal bx, getting some easy WH ques, minimal VCds
- Frequent Echoic responding or “What” “I don’t know” “Things” when some intraverbal Control was demonstrated often simple IV relation minimal verbal conditional discriminations, the Last or prominent word usually the Source of stimulus control
- What goes on ur head? Shoulders
- What helps a flower grow? UP
Results & Error Analysis for the Typically Developing Children
3 yr olds
- 500-1000 mands & tacts
- IV Assessment scores: 40-60 range
- Well Established basic intraverbal repertoire, 100s of IV relations
- But verbal conditional discrimination Errors were prevalent
- “What grows on ur head? Planta
- Many of WH ques cause prob
- Where do you wat? …Food
- ROTE response were equal: What day is today? “Rainy” (it was sunny)
Results and Error Analysis for the Typically Developing Children
3 yr old (Contd….)
- Problems with prepositions, adjectives, adverbs in VCdS
- Wat’s under a house? Roof
- What is something that is Sharp? Giraffe
- What’s something you can’t wear? “shirt”
- 3 causes of errors: VCdS, Complexity of the different parts of speech & meanings of individual words
Results and Error Analysis for the Typically Developing Children
3 1/2 Yr olds
- 500-1200 mands & Tacts
- IV Assessment scores 50-70 range
- Verbal Conditional discrimination errors were still common
- What grows on ur head? “Hat”
- Name some clothing…. for the body
- Negation still a major major prob
- Still having prob with, prepositions, adjectives, adverbs in VCDs
- Still problems with Time concepts
- Still emitted Echoic responses when no intraverbal occurred
Results and Error Analysis for the Typically Developing Children
-4 Year olds
- 800-1800 mands and tacts
- IV Assessment scores: 50-75 range
- Verbal conditional discrimination errors were still Common
- What do you smell with? …“A skunk”
- But VCDs are clearly getting stringer
- What’s above a house? An airplane & stuff that’s on the roof”
- Negation time concepts, preposition & adjectives in a VCDs contd.. to be a prom for many children
- Specific words and concepts like “different” “btw “take” “how” and why? caused prob
Results and Error Analysis for the Typically Developing Children
5 yr olds
- 1000-2500 mands and tacts
- IV assessment Scores 55-76 range
- They get it! They are much better at VCDs
- “What’s in a balloon?” …Helium, Air
- However, they still have Problems with negation time concepts and prepositions
- Many Children Missed “What day is today?” “What day is before Tuesday?” “What’s ur last name?”
Error Analysis for the Children with Autism
- The children with autism made the Same Types of errors as typical children who scored at their level
- Verbal conditional discriminations were hard for All children esp those involving “WH” eyes & the different parts of speech
- Rote responding was more obvious & more Firmly established
- Echoic responses were more Frequent
- Neg Bx was higher with increasing complexity of the verbal stimulus
The VB-MAPP intraverbal subtest contains:
a) 200 questions that all begin with “WH” words
b) The core part of most IQ tests
c) A cognitive processing probe
d) A sample of 80 intraverbal tasks are developmentally sequenced
d) A sample of 80 intraverbal tasks are developmentally sequenced
The primary goal of the VB-MAPP intraverbal subtest is to:
a) Meet the requirements for standardized tests
b) Trick the child with hard ques
c) Determine a child’s intraverbal level as compared to typically developing children in order to develop an appropriate intraverbal intervention prog
d) Determine a child auditory processing errors
c) Determine a child’s intraverbal level as compared to typically developing children in order to develop an appropriate intraverbal intervention prog
The grids on the VB-MAPP Task Analysis:
a) Puts all the skills from a specific skill area together on a single bar chart
b) Breaks up the skills into tree developmental levels, & frames them by the Milestones
c) Cannot provide any visual info on the balance of the skills
d) Do not allow for developmental comparisons across skills
b) Breaks up the skills into tree developmental levels, & frames them by the Milestones
Errors Made by Typically Developing Children & Children with Autism scoring at the Same Level
- IV Assessment Score of 0-19
- Typically developing children & children with autism who autism scored at this level emitted similar errors
- Gave an Echoic response to the ques
- Gave no Ans
- Gave a Standard single ans like “yeah” or “yes”
- Pointed at something or pointed in some location (listener Bx)
- Neg Bx was Higher for children with autism (Avoidance & Escape)
Implication for Intraverbal Intervention Programs
- Use the acquisition of intraverbal Bx of typically developing children as a Guide for an intraverbal curriculum
- Assess a target child’s existing intraverbal repertoire using a tool like the one presented here
- Look for Balance across the scores of the VB-MAPP
- Assess the Corresponding Mand, Tact & Listener repertoire & be assured they are present prior to intraverbal training
- Carefully Sequence the intraverbal tasks
Implication for Intraverbal Intervention Programs
- Typically developing 3-yr olds emit 1000s of intraverbal responses a Day thus there needs to be many trials for language delayed children
- Don’t move from the nonverbal context too Quickly
- Don’t be in a rush to move up the Curriculum
- There is a need for Massive verbal stimulus & response Generalization
- Use LRFFC as a stepping stone to IV
- Always analyze Errors & the sources of control. Back Down the curriculum sequence if necessary
- Mixed & rotated VB trials on one topic mimic general conversation & provide a bridge to the Natural use of the skill
Implicati
on for Intraverbal Intervention Programs
- Respect the complexity of verbal Conditional discriminations (VCDs)
- Establish a strong repertoire of Simple intraverbal relations prior to moving to VCDs & WH ques
- Be aware tht a (rote) Correct ans to a ques may occur when the VCDs element is removed. Mixed and rotated VB trials can solve tht prob
- Be assured that the Individual words evoke generalized intraverbal response prior to combining them in a VCDs talk
Conclusions
- The intraverbal BX of typically developing children can serve as an imp Guide for an inter verbal Curriculum for children with autism autism/other development disabilities
- The primary Behavioral relation relevant to intraverbal Bx almost Always involved a Verbal conditioned discrimination
- Children with autism made the Same intraverbal errors as typical children who scored at their level
- A behavioral analysis of these verbal Errors can help us better understand the errors made by children with autism & Avoid those errors by better sequencing the curriculum tasks & by providing the necessary instruction esp on VCDAs
Conclusions (Contd…)
- There is very Little behavioral Research on VCDs & their relation to intraverbal Bx
- Existing conditional discrimination research can serve as a guide for VCSintraverbal research
The research on the intraverbal subtest study (Sundberg) showed that:
a) The research on the intraverbal subtest study (Sundberg) showed that:
b) Children with autism were unable to acquire intraverbal Bx
c) Children with autism made the same intraverbal errors made by typical children who scored around the same level on the subtest
d) Children with autism did not acquire intraverbal bx until 4 yrs of age
c) Children with autism made the same intraverbal errors made by typical children who scored around the same level on the subtest
The VB-MAPP Task Analysis:
a) Provide a further breakdown of each milestone, as well as several additional skills that could be part of developing the target repertoire
b) Identifies the importance of focusing on many different small steps
c) Should be used to develop specific IEP goals
d) Is the primary tool for the initial assessment of a child with autism
a) Provide a further breakdown of each milestone, as well as several additional skills that could be part of developing the target repertoire
The VB-MAPP Placement & IEP Goals Provide:
a) Descriptions of specific teaching procedures for each skill in the task analysis
b) Information regarding the child’s IQ score
c) A data collection system for each Milestone
d) Suggestions for programming direction on each of the 170 Milestones
d) Suggestions for programming direction on each of the 170 Milestones
The VB-MAPP Placement the IEP Goals contains sample IEP goals that:
a) Can be directly copied on to an IEP
b) Cannot be used in a real IEP
c) Should be tailored for an individual child
d) Are designed to cover a 3 month period of DTT/ABA intervention
c) Should be tailored for an individual child
The VB-MAPP Placement & IEP Goals incorporate:
a) IQ scores to provide direction for a program
b) Milestones, barriers & developmental sequences to provide
c) Age equivalent scores with Peabody scores to provide direction for a program
d) Funding sources
b) Milestones, barriers & developmental sequences to provide
All five parts of the VB-MAPP can:
a) Provide a complete picture of a child, & Clear direction for a language & social skills intervention program
b) Be found on most standardized language assessments
c) Can be completed by anyone interested in the child
d) Be combined for a total point score
a) Provide a complete picture of a child, & Clear direction for a language & social skills intervention program
