ASD - Methods of Modifying

Question 1

1 What is PECS?

Answer 1

Replaces spoken words with pictures. Although most users of PECS recommend the use of verbal speech as well this comes as secondary to the use f pictures.

Question 2

1 What does PECS use?

Answer 2

Behaviourist concepts such as operant conditioning and modelling to improve communication and other social behaviour

Question 3

1 What are the 7 stages of PECS?

Answer 3

• Pre-programe preparation - find objects that the child is interested in
• Physical exchange - teacher will show one of the objects where the facilitator will encourage the learner to pick up the picture card and hand it to the teacher
• Increasing independence - physcial distance between learner and teacher is increased so more effort is required
• Learning to discriminate - given a picture book where they have to find what they want between similar objects
• ** Sentence structure** - encouraged to form ‘sentence strips’ to ask for an object
• **Answering direct questions **- Use of sentence should be automatic and when asked a direct question should aswer with a full sentence strip
• Commenting - learner will be asked questions where they can comment more widely on their experiences

Question 4

1 Why is there limited support for PECS? (communication)

Answer 4

Flippin (2010) - In some cases, speech development was actually negatively effected. Research was also flawed in terms of methodology - rated quality as ‘adequate’

Question 5

1 Supporting research (spontaneous speech) for PECS?

Answer 5

Charlop-Christy (2002) - Children used substantially more spontaneous speech after PECS when compared with before
One child improved 28% to 100% which wass shown 12 months later in a follow uo
Eye contact and joint attention was also improved

Question 6

1 Ease of use for PECS?

Answer 6

Charlop-Christy (2002) - PECS can be conducted very quick and easily. The mean time for ll 6 six stages is 170 minutes

Question 7

1 Why does PECS have limited use?

Answer 7

Ganz (2012) - PECS may be most effective fro younger learners however the use of this system fro older hcildren/adults may be less effective so may not be appropriate for all with ASD

Question 8

1 Ethical benefits of PECS?

Answer 8

Identification of reinforcers means that the child is likely to enjoy the training process - receive positive reinforcement
Low risk of psychological harm

Question 9

1 How is PECS successful?

Answer 9

Imbedded operant conditioning is likely to be successful and may bring improvements in communication quickly for the child
Likely to lead to improved self-esteem - less likely to experience the communication failures they may be used to

Question 10

1 What are the ethical issues of PECS Baron-Cohen adressed?

Answer 10

Relies on external rewards - risk of harm during stage 1
removes freedom from the child
Use of internal reward should be used (pre-existing interest) instead of an external reward which can be withheld

Question 11

1 Financial costs of PECS?

Answer 11

Pyramid Educational Consultants - insists practitioners are trained by them. Costs are usually met by the public sector
Inconsistent evidence for effectiveness of PECS over costs of programmes
Alternative treatments - could be more expensive and may be less effective. Research - PECS may be worth the costs incurred

Question 12

1 Economic benefits of PECS?

Answer 12

improvements of communication skills may gain greater independence - more able to work and contribute to society and economy more effectively

Question 13

2 What is RDI?
What does RDI focus on?

Answer 13

CBT - trying to improve the cognitive and empathy deficits through modifying the child’s perception of other peoples thoughts and feelings

Question 14

2 Six objectives of RDI?

Answer 14

• Emotional referencing - learn from emotional experiences of others
• Social coordination - observe and control behaviour to paricipate in social relationships
• Declarative language - use language and non-verbal communication to express curiosity
• Flexible thinking - adapt and alter plans as circumstances change
• Relational information processing - put things into context and solve problems that lack clear solutions
• Foresight & Hindsight + Anticipate future possibilities based on past experiences

Question 15

2 What is it based on?
Gustein?

Answer 15

The assumption that children with ASD have missed important developmental skills:
- Beginning a conversation
- Sharing a joke
- Sharing feelings with others

Gustein’s (2009) concept of dynamic intelligence which Gustein argues can be developed in those with ASD

Question 16

2 What is dynamic intelligence?

Answer 16

Ability to think flexibly including appreciating different perspectives, coping with change and combining information from multiple sources at the same time

Question 17

2 Supporting research (Gustein) fro RDI?

Answer 17

Out of 15 children taught in ‘special education’ classrooms, only 3 remained
14 children considered to be showing significant autistic behaviours before RDI only 2 remained afterward

Question 18

2 Why does this MoM have researcher bias?

Answer 18

Carried out by Gustein himself

Question 19

2 How does RDI lack high quality research evidence?

Answer 19

Quality is reviewed by academics through ‘peer review’ process - those that are seen as high quality are referred to as ‘gold standard’
There are no gold standarrd research studies of RDI which have been published

Question 20

2 How is RDI time consuming?

Answer 20

Usually a lengthy and fairly labour-intensive intervention which may last for many years
Parents and children often undertake at least 3 hours a week of ‘lab time’ as well as numerous other teaching opportunities

Question 21

2 Cost issues of RDI?

Answer 21

Estimates at putting the cost at $5000 (approx. £4000) for the first year of RDI

Question 22

2 Risk of psychological (reports) for RDI?

Answer 22

(+) Anecdotal reports claim that RDI has been very helpful with some describing that therapy is life changing suggesting a keet benefit of RDI may be tackling psychological harm

Question 23

2 What does RDI subjectively help to reduce?

Answer 23

Stress and anxiety in the familt of those with ASD and to improve the self esteem of the child

Question 24

2 How does the cost of RDI create financial burdens on families?

Answer 24

RDI is fully untested so it could be argued that RDIConnect are behaving unethically by marketing RDI before further research has been carried out.

Question 25

2 How does money raise social implications for RDI?

Answer 25

Spending takes money away from budgets which could be spent on other therapies which are shown to be effective. This means that public money may be wasted on RDI

Question 26

2 Social cost of ‘fad therapies’?

Answer 26

Zane (2008) - with the recent increase in children being diagnosed with ASD has also come a large rise in ‘fad’ therapies which have no substantial body of research to show they are effective.