Teaching “Then-Later” and “Here-There” Relations to Children with Autism: an Evaluation of Single Reversals and Transformation of Stimulus Function

Barron and team worked with two boys who have autism. They wanted to teach the boys to understand 'then-later' and 'here-there' ideas.

The trainers used PEAK-T lessons. They showed pictures and asked questions like 'Where was the dog earlier?' or 'When will the girl eat?'

Both boys learned the new words quickly. They could pick the right picture even when the items were brand new.

The skills also spread without extra teaching. The boys answered new 'then-later' and 'here-there' questions they had never seen before.

Barry et al. (2024) later got the same fast learning with older kids. They used many examples and hit a large share mastery, showing the idea works for teens too.

Frame et al. (1984) gave the rule book. They said you must test three kinds of stimulus control before you claim real equivalence. Barron followed that checklist.

Kisamore et al. (2016) used a similar single-case ABA design to teach intraverbals. Both papers show kids with autism can master tricky language when you break it into small steps.

You can add PEAK-T 'then-later' and 'here-there' lessons to your verbal behavior program. Start with two clear pictures, ask 'Where first?' or 'When next?', and probe with new items every few days. The skills may pop up without extra trials, saving you teaching time.