The acquisition of stimulus equivalence in individuals with fragile X syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Few studies have employed stimulus equivalence procedures to teach individuals with intellectual disabilities (IDs) new skills. To date, no studies of stimulus equivalence have been conducted in individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common known cause of inherited ID.


METHODS
Five adolescents with FXS were taught basic math and geography skills by using a computerized stimulus equivalence training programme administered over 2 days in 2-h sessions.


RESULTS
Four of the five participants learned the math relations, with one participant demonstrating stimulus equivalence at post-test. Three of the five participants learned the geography relations, with all three of these participants demonstrating stimulus equivalence at post-test.


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate that computerized stimulus equivalence procedures, conducted in time-limited sessions, may help individuals with FXS learn new skills. Hypotheses concerning the failure of some participants to learn the training relations and to demonstrate stimulus equivalence at post-test are discussed.
Hall
S S
SS
Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Sciences, Stanford University, CA 94365, USA. hallss@stanford.edu
Debernardis
G M
GM
Reiss
A L
AL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005600:Fragile X Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male