Script FadingScript Fading

Andrea GonzalezAndrea GonzalezCaldwell CollegeCaldwell College

Patricia J. Krantz, & Lynn E. McClannahan. (1993). Teaching Patricia J. Krantz, & Lynn E. McClannahan. (1993). Teaching Children with Autism to Initiate to Peers: Effects of a Script Fading Children with Autism to Initiate to Peers: Effects of a Script Fading

Procedure. Procedure. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26, 121-132.Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26, 121-132.

BackgroundBackground

Children with autism have a severe deficit Children with autism have a severe deficit in reciprocal social interaction.in reciprocal social interaction.

Previous research have taught non-Previous research have taught non-disabled peers to initiate to children with disabled peers to initiate to children with autism.autism.

Maintenance and cross-setting Maintenance and cross-setting generalization of social interaction skills generalization of social interaction skills have been difficult to achieve.have been difficult to achieve.

Adult prompting and reinforcement Adult prompting and reinforcement (transfer of stimulus control from the (transfer of stimulus control from the teacher to natural elements in the teacher to natural elements in the environment)environment)

PurposePurpose

Assess effects of a written script and Assess effects of a written script and script fading procedure on social script fading procedure on social initiations of children with autism.initiations of children with autism.

Assess unscripted peer initiations, Assess unscripted peer initiations, responses, setting generalization responses, setting generalization and maintenance.and maintenance.

ParticipantsParticipants

4 participants4 participants Kate- 12yrs old and enrolled in the PCDI Kate- 12yrs old and enrolled in the PCDI

program for 8 years.program for 8 years. Mike- 12 yrs old and enrolled in the Mike- 12 yrs old and enrolled in the

PCDI program for 5 years.PCDI program for 5 years. Walt- 12 yrs old and enrolled in the Walt- 12 yrs old and enrolled in the

PCDI program for 5 years.PCDI program for 5 years. Ross- 9 yrs old and enrolled in the PCDI Ross- 9 yrs old and enrolled in the PCDI

program for 5 years.program for 5 years. After 5-8 years of intensive therapy, the After 5-8 years of intensive therapy, the

participants were seldom aggressive or participants were seldom aggressive or self injurious, and acquired some early self injurious, and acquired some early academic skillsacademic skills

Prior to StudyPrior to Study

Follow photographic activity schedules.Follow photographic activity schedules. Follow written activity schedules.Follow written activity schedules. Developed some functional expressive language.Developed some functional expressive language. For 9 months, the 4 participants were classmates For 9 months, the 4 participants were classmates

and a class schedule was designed specifically for and a class schedule was designed specifically for them.them.

During the 9 months, teachers modeled and During the 9 months, teachers modeled and verbally prompted social initiations.verbally prompted social initiations.

Each child was tested on target words.Each child was tested on target words.

SettingSetting

School and Research Center for children School and Research Center for children with autism.with autism.

Pre-session activities occurred in an Pre-session activities occurred in an outdoor play area.outdoor play area.

Sessions were conducted in a typical Sessions were conducted in a typical classroom.classroom.

Generalization sessions were conducted in Generalization sessions were conducted in a large conference room.a large conference room.

Dependent VariablesDependent Variables

Initiation to PeersInitiation to Peers Scripted InitiationsScripted Initiations Unscripted InitiationsUnscripted Initiations Responses- defined as a contextual Responses- defined as a contextual

utterance that was not prompted by the utterance that was not prompted by the teacher and that occurred within 5 s of a teacher and that occurred within 5 s of a statement or question directed to the target statement or question directed to the target child.child.

Independent VariablesIndependent Variables

Three art activitiesThree art activities DrawingDrawing ColoringColoring PaintingPainting

ScriptScript 10 statements and questions10 statements and questions 3 different versions of script created3 different versions of script created

BaselineBaseline

Three art activities rotated across sessionsThree art activities rotated across sessions Activity on table along with a sheet of Activity on table along with a sheet of

paper that presented the instructions, “Do paper that presented the instructions, “Do your art” and “Talk a lot”.your art” and “Talk a lot”.

Manually prompted.Manually prompted. Verbal prompt of first word provided if Verbal prompt of first word provided if

needed.needed. Teacher only interacted with participants if Teacher only interacted with participants if

they directed questions to her.they directed questions to her.

ProcedureProcedure

Art activities rotated across sessionsArt activities rotated across sessions Instructions, “Do your art” and “Talk a lot” Instructions, “Do your art” and “Talk a lot”

presented.presented. Scripts consisting of 10 statements and Scripts consisting of 10 statements and

questions.questions. Activities recently completedActivities recently completed Activities that were being plannedActivities that were being planned Objects in the school environmentObjects in the school environment

ProcedureProcedure

Manual GuidanceManual Guidance Pick up pencil and move the pencil below text as Pick up pencil and move the pencil below text as

the participant read.the participant read. To turn the participant’s head towards the To turn the participant’s head towards the

listener.listener. If statement was not verbalize within 5 s manual If statement was not verbalize within 5 s manual

guidance was repeated.guidance was repeated. When manual guidance was completely faded, When manual guidance was completely faded,

fading of the script began.fading of the script began. From end to beginning, in five phases.From end to beginning, in five phases.

Fading of a ScriptFading of a Script

5 phases5 phases ““Mike, what do you like to do best on Mike, what do you like to do best on

Fun Fridays?”Fun Fridays?”

How can this script be faded in 5 How can this script be faded in 5 phases?phases?

If the script would have been faded If the script would have been faded in more or less phases, would it in more or less phases, would it have made a difference?have made a difference?

Measurement ProcedureMeasurement Procedure

Began after last child was seatedBegan after last child was seated 10 consecutive minutes10 consecutive minutes Continuous event recording system (1 min Continuous event recording system (1 min

intervals)intervals) Recorded scripted and unscripted initiations and Recorded scripted and unscripted initiations and

responses to peers.responses to peers. An audible signal from a computer marked the An audible signal from a computer marked the

end of an interval.end of an interval. Two observersTwo observers

Collected data on two participants.Collected data on two participants. Target children were rotated across sessions.Target children were rotated across sessions.

Follow-upFollow-up

Two month follow-up (1 month Two month follow-up (1 month vacation and 1 month of a new vacation and 1 month of a new school year)school year) All participants used fading step 5 (“)All participants used fading step 5 (“) No prompts deliveredNo prompts delivered

GeneralizationGeneralization

Conference roomConference room Different teacherDifferent teacher Different time of dayDifferent time of day Different materialsDifferent materials

First 3 sessionsFirst 3 sessions Sheet of paper with instructions, “Do your Sheet of paper with instructions, “Do your

puzzle” and “Talk a lot”.puzzle” and “Talk a lot”. Manual guidance to read the instructions Manual guidance to read the instructions

and to move the pencil below each word.and to move the pencil below each word.

GeneralizationGeneralization

Sessions 4 through 6Sessions 4 through 6 Written instructions provided along with the Written instructions provided along with the

faded script as it was being presented to them faded script as it was being presented to them during the script conditionduring the script condition

No prompts deliveredNo prompts delivered During session 9During session 9

3 typically developing children visited the 3 typically developing children visited the schoolschool

Spent time together with the participants in Spent time together with the participants in the same classroomthe same classroom

Art materials and the instructions, “Do your Art materials and the instructions, “Do your art” and “Talk a lot” was presented with no art” and “Talk a lot” was presented with no further prompts.further prompts.

Interobserver AgreementInterobserver Agreement

Agreements/ Agreements + Disagreements Agreements/ Agreements + Disagreements multiplied by 100%.multiplied by 100%.

Obtained duringObtained during 80% of classroom sessions80% of classroom sessions Five of six generalization sessionsFive of six generalization sessions Session conducted with non-disabled childrenSession conducted with non-disabled children Agreement ranged from 75%-100%Agreement ranged from 75%-100% Agreement on participant’s use of the script Agreement on participant’s use of the script

was 100%was 100%

ResultsResults

ResultsResults

Future ResearchFuture Research

Determine whether script fading Determine whether script fading procedures can increase the length and procedures can increase the length and complexity of children’s verbal utterances.complexity of children’s verbal utterances.

Can multiple scripts promote Can multiple scripts promote conversational variety?conversational variety?

Can initiations taught with a script fading Can initiations taught with a script fading procedure generalize to more remote procedure generalize to more remote settings (e.g., home, community)settings (e.g., home, community)

Can written prompts be faded to the single Can written prompts be faded to the single written instruction, “Talk a lot”?written instruction, “Talk a lot”?

Research StrengthsResearch Strengths

Questions or CommentsQuestions or Comments