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Teaching Self-Initiations within the Natural Environment: A Case Study

Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences, University of Washington
Seattle, WA

This case study investigates the effects of a multi-element treatment approach to teaching the social-communicative skill of self-initiating to a young child with autism. The participant, James, was a 6-year-old boy diagnosed with autism attending a fully integrated kindergarten classroom. He demonstrated age-appropriate language and non-verbal performance skills; however, teachers reported that he demonstrated difficulty socially interacting with peers. The treatment package targeted use of three types of self-initiations (greeting/attention-getting, commenting, and requesting information). The treatment incorporated individual, dyad, and small-group instruction, and use of untrained peers and highly preferred activities. Following treatment, James demonstrated an increase in all types of self-initiations with peers. Results are discussed with regard to clinical application within the natural environment.