title: Teaching the imitation and spontaneous use of descriptive gestures in young children with autism using a naturalistic behavioral intervention.
abstract: Children with autism exhibit deficits in the imitation and spontaneous use of descriptive gestures. Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT), a naturalistic imitation intervention, has ben shown to increase object imitation skills in young children with autism. A single-subject, multiple-baseline design across five young children with autism was used to determine whether RIT could be adapted to target the imitation of descriptive gestures. All participants increased their imitation of gestures in the treatment setting and on a structured imitation assessment. Gains generalized to a novel therapist, setting, and materials and maintained at a 1-month follow-up. Three participants also increased their spontaneous use of descriptive gestures. These results provide support for the effectiveness of a naturalistic intervention for teaching gesture imitation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Lewis & Clark College, 0615 SW Palatine Hill Road, Portland, OR 97219, USA. bri@lclark.edu
authors.forename: Brooke
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ingersoll
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kroman
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational; D005260:Female; D005793:Generalization, Psychological; D005868:Gestures; D006801:Humans; D007100:Imitative Behavior; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male