Landa, Frampton, and Shillingsburg (2020) examined the effects of mand training (teaching people to communicate their needs) on the ability of individuals with social issues to receive information regarding the location of objects from others. In the study, the participants were four children diagnosed with ASD. During baseline, the subjects were observed within their respective classrooms, in which particular items necessary for their activities were missing. They were asked to mandor, in other words, ask for information with the use of Wh-questions about the location of required objects. They also had to answer three types of questions about known and observable, known and unobservable, and completely unknown concepts regarding the items they needed. Meanwhile, the researchers recorded their frequency of manding for data from other people when the children turned to them or looked at them to subsequently compare this indicator with the overall outcome of the activity. Following that condition, the children’s actions were considered to be independent in the case if they occurred within ten seconds from the moment a question was asked, and no prompts were needed. Following that condition, the mands were viewed as correct only if they corresponded to the requirements presented above. Following that condition, three students out of four did not refer to other people for any information and were not viewed as independent. The researchers found that the mands for this type of data occur only in the case of the introduction of the procedure to the children. They also ascertained that the results did not depend on the nature and form of the presented questions. Moreover, their social partners were not connected to the treatment provided to them in clinics. Hence, they concluded on the need to continue to intervene in the process of critical skills development in youngsters with ASD. From their point of view, this initiative would lead to an increase in the latter’s participation in social life and help them deal with tantrums in the long run.
Reference
Landa, R. K., Frampton, S. E., & Shillingsburg, M. A. (2020). Teaching children with autism to mand for social information. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.Â