The effects of listener training on the emergence of categorization and speaker behavior in children with autism

Abstract

We evaluated the effects of listener training on the emergence of categorization and speaker behavior (i.e., tacts) using a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design. Four children with autism learned to select pictures given their dictated category names. We assessed whether they could match and tact pictures by category. After training, 3 participants tacted and categorized all pictures, and 1 participant failed both tests. After tact training, this participant categorized. These results suggest that listener training may be an efficient way to produce speaker behavior and categorization in children who have been diagnosed with autism. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.