title: Video-based intervention for children with autism: towards improved assessment of pre-requisite imitation skills.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the relationship between responses to imitation assessment and video-based intervention (VBI) in children with autism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interview- and observation-based imitation assessments were conducted for five boys with autism prior to VBI across three studies. In two of the three studies, the boys' imitative responses to videos with an animated model and a human model were also compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants who were assessed to have strong imitation skills were also those who responded more positively to VBI. No clear differences were reported in the boys' responses to the equivalent videos with the animated model and the human model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The level of imitation skills required for successful VBI is relative to the target behaviour. Revision of existing imitation assessment measures, as well as development and validation of more comprehensive measures is warranted for use in conjunction with VBI.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education, University of Tasmania , Tasmania , Australia.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rayner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007100:Imitative Behavior; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Animated model; Autism; imitation assessment; video modelling; video prompting; video-based intervention