A Tutorial on Indicating Responses and Their Importance in Mand Training

Frampton et al. (2024) wrote a how-to paper for BCBAs. They explain what an "indicating response" is and how to use it in mand training.

The authors give step-by-step rules: watch for pointing, reaching, or eye shifts before you prompt the word or sign. They show how to teach these signals if the child does not do them, then how to fade them so the mand still works without the extra move.

The paper is a tutorial, so it does not give new data. Instead it gives a clear map: teach the child to show you what they want with a small move, then capture that move to build the full mand.

They stress that the indicating move must happen while the reinforcer is still strong. If you wait too long, the moment is gone and the mand may not stick.

Tincani et al. (2020) looked at 30 SGD mand studies. Most taught multiply-controlled mands and paid little attention to pure EO moments. Frampton’s tutorial fills that gap by showing how to catch the EO while it is live.

Ghaemmaghami et al. (2018) shaped complex FCRs without first teaching small indictors. Their kids had resurgence. Frampton’s plan may prevent that by locking the EO to a tiny response before shaping the full request.

Al-Nasser et al. (2019) gave staff picture packets and hit 90 % fidelity. Frampton gives a similar self-check list for mand training, so you can hand it to new RBTs with the same ease.

You can start using this tomorrow. Place the item in sight but out of reach. Wait for any reach, point, or look. That is your green light to prompt the mand. Reinforce both the indicator and the word or sign, then fade the indicator so the word alone gets the item. You will build cleaner mands and avoid prompt dependence.