A Behavioral Approach to Communication Skills Benjamin R. Thomas, M.A., BCBA

Behavior Behavior is anything people: Do or Say

Appropriate Behaviors Communication with others Play and leisure skills Social behaviors with family and friends Following directions/listening Etc.

Communication Behaviors Appropriate communication is often difficult for people with disabilities Children who cannot communicate basic needs may have very frustrating lives Many children can learn inappropriate ways to request things or to make things they don’t like go away, like whining to get attention or laying on the floor to get out of school work

Behavior Behavior is: Nonverbal: interacts with environment only Verbal: interacts/communicates with another person

How is Language Measured in a Traditional Linguistic Analysis? The focus is on response forms, topography, and structure Phonemes Morphemes Lexicon Syntax Grammar Semantics Mean length of utterances (MLU); words, phrases, sentences Classification system: nouns, verbs, prepositions, adjectives, adverbs, etc.

What is “Verbal Behavior?” Verbal Behavior = Behavior Operant conditioning: B.F. Skinner Verbal Behavior that is learned via the same mechanisms as other behavior Reinforcement Punishment A-B-C

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) The three-term contingency (ABC analysis) Antecedent Behavior Consequence Child wants juice Says “Juice” Parent gives child juice Antecedent Behavior Consequence Child doesn’t want Runs from adults Delays taking a bath to take a bath and gets chased

What Causes Behaviors? Antecedent: - The cues for the behavior - Where and when a behavior is likely to occur Consequence: - The events that follow a behavior What happens immediately after a behavior occurs? Reinforcement or punishment

What is Reinforcement? Reinforcement is a consequence (follows a behavior) Reinforcement is anything that increases a behavior Reinforcement can be getting good things (e.g., attention, toys, food) – positive reinforcement Reinforcement can be delaying or making things go away (e.g., demands, bedtime, noisy toys) -negative reinforcement Activity

How is verbal behavior different? In Verbal Behavior, reinforcement is mediated by another person It is social It involves more than one person, not just the person and the environment

“Behavior” versus “Verbal Behavior” C Thirst Get water from faucet Drink water Ask mom for water

What about this example? C Thirst Pull mom to sink and cry Drink water

Skinner’s focus Skinner focused on the development of expressive behaviors Expressive behaviors involve the individual as SPEAKER

What do verbal behaviors look like? Forms of verbal behavior may include: Gestures (Pointing, sign language) Say the word Exchange a picture Use a computer/voice output device (iPad, etc.) Writing a word Challenging behaviors: whine, cry, hit, kick, laying on the floor, pulling own hair, etc.

Why are communication skills important? Interaction with social environment Communicating basic needs/wants Developing friendships/maintaining relationships Core deficit in all people with PDD/Autism Majority of challenging behaviors stem from deficit in communication skills from 14% (17% listener responding) in 11/10 to 43% (6% LR).

Why is a Verbal Behavior approach important for children with communication delays? Theory Tool for analysis What’s working What’s not working Implications for teaching Related to core deficits Emphasis on environment Focus on Function

What do we mean by function? What determines or controls the response or behavior? What is the antecedent? What is the consequence? What is the form of the response?

Basic expressive (verbal) behaviors What controls the speaker’s response Echoic: (verbal imitation) – matches what the person hears Mand: (request) specifies what the person wants Tact: (label) communicates what the person sees, hears, tastes, smells Intraverbal – responds to what person hears & does not match

“Great! I’ll find your mom Ben” C Echoic Parent says “Mommy” “Mommy” Parent says “Yeah! You said Mommy!” Mand Hungry, wants cracker “Cracker” Teacher gives cracker Tact Teacher asks “What color is this?” “Blue” Teacher says “That’s right it is blue!” Intraverbal Store security asks “What’s your name?” “Ben” “Great! I’ll find your mom Ben”

The Echoic Repeating what you hear Verbal imitation Important when learning new verbal behavior Helps people fine tune pronunciation by repeating and trying to match what they hear Very important in teaching other verbal behaviors Generally reinforced by praise

The MAND: Ask Nicely! Antecedent Behavior Consequence A mand is a verbal behavior (communication) that specifically REQUESTS or REJECTS. Mands are controlled by antecedents and consequences. The item/activity, attention, or escape is the REINFORCER Your child is the “SPEAKER” and you are the “LISTENER”/the one who provides the reinforcer Antecedent Behavior Consequence Child wants juice Says “Juice” Parent gives child Parent has juice juice Child doesn’t want Child screams Delays taking a bath to take a bath

Ask Nicely! Teaching appropriate Mands Determine the best way for your child (words, pictures, sign, etc.) Set up opportunities for your child to practice Capture naturally occurring opportunities Antecedent Behavior Consequence SEE IT SAY IT GET IT! SEE IT Don’t say it Don’t get it

Ask Nicely! Teaching appropriate Mands Motivation to Mand Deprivation: the amount of time your child has gone without a reinforcer is a power influence on the mand Your child will try harder to get the reinforcer Behaviors related to the reinforcer are likely to be increased (i.e., what has worked in the past)

Ask Nicely! Teaching new Mands Your child may not know the name of what s/he wants A. When your child shows interest (reach, approach), say the name of what s/he wants, but don’t give B. Your child repeats you (or approximates) C. You give your child what s/he wants After time/practice, don’t say the word

Ask Nicely! Teaching new Mands Your child cannot say the name of what s/he wants: Accept approximations in the beginning, gradually accept the full word Match words/sounds they can say with the things they like (i.e., can say “Bah” and likes “Balls”) Any appropriate attempt is more acceptable than a challenging behavior Start with an easier form such as pictures (PECS) to get the communication ball rolling

Ask Nicely! Advancing the Mand Items present (see it, say it, get it) Items not present (think about then ask) Request w/ a sentence (I want__) Request attention Request help Request for others to do some action Request with adjectives (I want BIG cookie) Request info using WH: where, when, why, what Request with prepositions (give me ball BEHIND you)

The TACT: What’s that? Labels a sensory experience Expressive label for something we see, hear, smell, taste, or feel Generally reinforced by attention from others (i.e., “That’s right it is a car!”)

Advancing the TACT Carrier phrase (It’s a/that’s a __) Label w/ Adjectives (“I see a small red car”) Prepositions (“There’s a cat under the car!” Verb-noun, Noun-Verb (“The cat is running!”) Function, features, class “That bus drives me to school” “No, the guy with the hat” “This looks weird, but it’s food”

Intraverbals Responding to the verbal behavior of others Does not resemble anything the other person said (not repeating, elaborating on a label), but is contextually related Talking about things that are not physically present

Intraverbals Fill-in the blanks (“happy and you know it clap your ___” Answering WH questions: who, what, why, when, where, how Describing events from the past

Teaching Verbal Behaviors Student initiated opportunities Teacher initiated opportunities Prompting and fading assistance

Student initiated opportunities Child directs his/her attention towards item, activity, or event “Shows interest” (approach behaviors) Teacher intervenes, identifies learning opportunity (captures) capitalizes on motivation Ambulance drives by with siren- student looks at ambulance (never seen before)- teacher says “that’s an ambulance” – student repeats “ambulance”- teacher says “that’s right it is an ambulance!”

Teacher initiated opportunity Teacher contrives opportunity for student to practice communication skills Arranges environment ahead of time Predetermined pack of flash cards Possession of snack during snack time

Prompting and Fading What are prompts? Additional stimuli that increase the likelihood that a particular behavior will occur. Prompts facilitate all types of responses to include verbal, non-verbal, written, motoric

Where Prompts Fit In Prompt Antecedent (Sd) Behavior Consequence

Why prompt? Errorless learning: Arranges SDs and prompts to evoke only correct responses = Learner is coming into contact with reinforcement 100% of learning opportunities

Why prompt?... Skill acquisition Learners need assistance in knowing HOW, WHEN, and WHAT to respond to in the environment Prompted responses => correct responses Correct responses = reinforced responses Responses reinforced are MORE likely to be repeated in the FUTURE

Types of prompts for verbal behaviors Model Say what student should say Demonstrate how student should sign Physical Help student use PECS or make correct sign Visual cue Picture/item Text (script)

Teaching the Tact Label everything for your students During play Praise when they can say the name “What is this?” “What do you see?” “This is a ___?” “Tell what you hear”

Teaching Intraverbals Ask question, immediately model correct response TS: “What’s your name? BRIAN” SS: “Brian” TS: “That’s right you ARE Brian!” TACT to INTRAVERBAL TRANSFER Ask student question, immediately show item/picture TS: “What do you write with?” (shows pencil) SS: “Pencil” TS: “What do you write with?” (hides pencil behind back) TS: “You DO write with a pencil!”

Contriving opportunities Time delay/restricted access: preferred items or activities are present, but access is delayed until a request occurs Blocked/interrupted activity: a response is blocked momentarily or an ongoing activity is interrupted (standing in front of the door on the way to go outside) Missing item: action cannot be initiated due to a missing tool (food but no fork/spoon; empty bowl; coloring book but no crayons)

Contriving opportunities (cont Delayed assistance: no help is provided until a request occurs Incomplete presentation: given a puzzle with missing pieces Wrong-item: Student needs a spoon but is given a knife Chaining mands: all the steps necessary to completing a task are blocked

How do we know where to begin teaching? Assessment tools VB-Mapp ABLLS-R

Activity 1: Teach the Mand Put something on the table As your partner reaches for it, grab it Say its name. ex: “phone” When your partner says “phone” give it to him/her If s/he doesn’t say it, don’t give, repeat it If s/he says “phone” give phone

Activity 2: Teach the TACT Point to something/someone, and say its name. ex: “Look, MS. AMBIKA!” When your partner repeats you, say “It is Ms. Ambika!” with enthusiasm

Activity 3: Teach INTRAVERBAL Ask your partner’s name and say their name right away. Ex: “What’s your name? Mr. REGAN” When your partner says his/her name, say “you are Mr. Regan!” with enthusiasm B) Tact transfer Hold something in front of your partner Ask him/her to name it by giving its FUNCTION Ex: “what do you call mommy with?” Partner will label what s/he sees “PHONE” Ask the question again with the item behind your back If s/he gives the item name say “that’s right, you DO call mommy with a phone!” with enthusiasm

Resources to enhance your weekend Websites http://www.christinaburkaba.com/AVB.htm https://www.establishingoperationsinc.com Books How to Teach Verbal Behavior (Pro-ed Series on Autism Spectrum Disorders) by Peter Sturmey (Jun 30, 2008) The Verbal Behavior Approach: How to Teach Children With Autism and Related Disorders by Mary Barbera and Tracy Rasmussen (May 15, 2007