Analysis of three components of affective behavior in children with autism

Abstract

Affective behavior is a crucial ingredient for appropriate, sustainable social interactions. People with autism have deficits in social interaction that are apparent in nonverbal behavior. Few studies have applied behavioral procedures to increase appropriate affective responding in people with autism. This study adds to that literature by examining three components of affective behavior, thus reinforcing the notion that it is not only what the learner says (verbal responding), but also how she says it (vocal intonation); not only whether the learner makes eye contact with his conversation partner, but also how he presents himself (facial expression). A multiple-baseline design evaluated the effects of an affect-training program on the percentage of appropriate responding emitted by three children with autism. The program consisted of reinforcement, prompting, script-fading, and shaping procedures. The percentage of appropriate affective responding emitted by participants across categories increased systematically following treatment; so did performance on nonreinforced probes. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.