title: A sorting-to-matching method to teach compound matching to sample.
abstract: Individuals with developmental disabilities may fail to attend to multiple features in compound stimuli (e.g., arrays of pictures, letters within words) with detrimental effects on learning. Participants were 5 children with autism spectrum disorder who had low to intermediate accuracy scores (35% to 84%) on a computer-presented compound matching task. Sample stimuli were pairs of icons (e.g., chair-tree), the correct comparison was identical to the sample, and each incorrect comparison had one icon in common with the sample (e.g., chair-sun, airplane-tree). A 5-step tabletop sorting-to-matching training procedure was used to teach compound matching. The first step was sorting 3 single pictures; subsequent steps gradually changed the task to compound matching. If progress stalled, tasks were modified temporarily to prompt observing behavior. After tabletop training, participants were retested on the compound matching task; accuracy improved to at least 95% for all children. This procedure illustrates one way to improve attending to multiple features of compound stimuli.
authors: University of Massachusetts Medical School and Western New England University.
authors: Rachel S
authors: RS
authors: Farber
authors: University of Massachusetts Medical School.
authors: William V
authors: WV
authors: Dube
authors: Western New England University and New England Center for Children.
authors: Chata A
authors: CA
authors: Dickson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D004495:Education of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D014584:User-Computer Interface
keywords: autism spectrum disorder; compound matching; matching to sample; sorting; sorting to matching; stimulus overselectivity