Infant sign training and functional analysis

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis

Department

Psychology

ISSN

0021-8855

Volume

44

Issue

2

DOI

10.1901/jaba.2011.44-305

First Page

305

Last Page

314

Publication Date

Summer 2011

Abstract

We taught manual signs to typically developing infants using a reversal design and caregiver-nominated stimuli. We delivered the stimuli on a time-based schedule during baseline. During the intervention, we used progressive prompting and reinforcement, described by Thompson et al. (2004, 2007), to establish mands. Following sign training, we conducted functional analyses and verified that the signs functioned as mands. These results provide preliminary validation for the verbal behavior functional analysis methodology and further evidence of the functional independence of verbal operants.

Comments

We thank Holly White, Jennifer Moreno, Rodnesha Dunn, Dawn Howard, and the staff and management at the Garden of Eden Day Care Center for their assistance in conducting this study.

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