title: The effect of brief delays to reinforcement on the acquisition of tacts in children with autism.
abstract: We used discrete-trial training to teach 3 children with autism to tact shapes of countries using 3 levels of reinforcement delay for correct responding: 0 s (immediate delivery), 6 s, and 12 s. Two of the 3 participants acquired the targets more quickly in the immediate-delivery condition, suggesting that delays as brief as 6 s may be detrimental to learning tacts for some children.
authors.affiliation: Florida Institute of Technology and the Scott Center for Autism Treatment.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Majdalany
authors.affiliation: Florida Institute of Technology and the Scott Center for Autism Treatment.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Wilder
authors.affiliation: Florida Institute of Technology and the Scott Center for Autism Treatment.
authors.forename: Lindsay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Smeltz
authors.affiliation: Florida Institute of Technology and the Scott Center for Autism Treatment.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lipschultz
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology*; D004495:Education of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology
keywords: autism; discrete-trial training; reinforcement delay; skill acquisition