Training class inclusion responding in typically developing children and individuals with autism

Ming et al. (2018) taught class inclusion to six preschoolers. Three had autism. Three were typically developing.

They used short RFT drills. Kids learned to pick the big class when asked. For example, they learned to say "animal" when shown dogs and cats together.

All six kids passed the class-inclusion test after training. They kept the skill one month later. They also used it with new pictures that were never trained.

Noell et al. (2026) used almost the same drills with typically developing kids only. They got the same result plus a bonus: the kids could name the groups and use the groups in new ways. Their study came later, so it builds on Ming’s work.

Paliliunas et al. (2022) also taught hierarchical groups to kids with autism. Instead of table-top drills, they used an “I Spy” game. Both studies show kids with autism can learn these abstract relations.

Lipkens et al. (2009) looks different at first glance. They taught adults analogies, not kids class inclusion. But the core idea is the same: RFT drills create new untaught relations. The pattern holds across ages and tasks.

You can add brief RFT class-inclusion trials to your preschool sessions. Use pictures the child already knows. After a few short blocks, check if they can pick the big class and the small class. If they pass, try new pictures to see if the skill spreads. This quick add-on may boost abstract language without long programs.