Using mand training to establish an echoic repertoire in young children with autism.
Teach toddlers with autism to ask for things first; echoics show up faster after that.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Three toddlers with autism had no words. The team taught mands first, then echoics.
Kids learned to ask for toys they wanted. Only after that did trainers model sounds to copy.
What they found
All three children asked for items by session six. They copied sounds within ten sessions.
Problem sounds dropped without any punishment. Words came faster when requests came first.
How this fits with other research
Hu et al. (2023) did the opposite. They taught echoics first and still got good mands.
The two studies seem to clash. The difference is age and goal. W et al. worked with toddlers who had zero words. Hu et al. worked with preschoolers who already spoke some Chinese.
Meier et al. (2012) backs the link. When you teach one verbal skill, the others often follow.
Why it matters
If you have a very young child with no speech, start with mands. Let them ask for bubbles, snacks, or hugs. Once they love getting things with words, echoics come easier. You save time and reduce tears.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This research describes a method that initially establishes a mand repertoire as the first component in producing echoic and tact repertoires in young children with limited verbal repertoires. The subjects were 3 nonverbal children with autism, aged 2.5 to 3.5 years. The results indicated that establishing a mand repertoire as the starting point for echoic training produced the acquisition of an initial echoic repertoire in all 3 children within the first 10 sessions. Two of the children also began tacting during the same period. A mand repertoire was acquired by all subjects by the sixth session. Negative vocal behavior was rapidly reduced without the use of aversive contingencies by shaping inapproapriate vocalizations into acceptable vocal mands. Our discussion analyzes those contingencies that contribute to the effectiveness of the manding procedure and compares this procedure with the conventional vocal imitation model. We also discuss variables that may contribute to the long-term success of language training programs and describe strategies for preventing language delay in typical infants and children.
The Analysis of verbal behavior, 1999 · doi:10.1007/BF03392945