title: Improving question-asking initiations in young children with autism using pivotal response treatment.
abstract: Social initiations make up a core deficit for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In particular, initiated questions during social interactions are often minimal or absent in this population. In the context of a multiple baseline design, the efficacy of using the motivational procedures of Pivotal Response Treatment to increase social question-asking for three young children with autism was assessed. Results indicated that participants initiated a greater number of targeted questions following intervention. Additionally, all children exhibited increases in initiation of untargeted questions during social interaction in novel settings. Furthermore, post intervention data revealed collateral gains in communication and adaptive behavior. Theoretical implications of incorporating motivational strategies into intervention to improve social initiations in young children with ASD are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Counseling, Clinical and School Psychology Department, Koegel Autism Center, Graduate School of Education, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-9490, USA, koegel@education.ucsb.edu.
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Koegel
authors.forename: Jessica L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bradshaw
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ashbaugh
authors.forename: Lynn Kern
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Koegel
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D012919:Social Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome