Acquisition and generalization of social behaviors in language-disabled deaf adolescents.
Modeling plus self-monitoring and self-rewards teaches deaf teens with language delays new social moves that last.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team worked with deaf teens who also had language delays. They picked five social behaviors to teach, like starting a chat or saying thanks.
The teens watched a model, then used a checklist to score their own performance. They gave themselves points and traded them for small prizes. A coach watched and gave tips.
What they found
All five behaviors went up and stayed up after the coaching ended. The teens kept using the skills in real school moments.
Kids with milder language delays made bigger jumps than kids with very limited language.
How this fits with other research
Spriggs et al. (2016) later got even larger gains with a similar package that added short video clips. Their work updates this 1994 study by showing video modeling can boost the effect.
McMillan et al. (1997) tested younger deaf kids and learned one key extra step: you must practice with many adults and places or the skill stays stuck in the training room.
Fabbretti et al. (1997) used the same age group but first ran a quick functional analysis to see why each teen used odd social moves. Adding that step plus self-monitoring produced faster, bigger gains.
Why it matters
You can copy the package tomorrow: model the skill, let the client score himself, and let him pick a tiny reward. If language is very limited, add more visuals and extra practice. To be sure the skill travels, build in many people, places, and times before you stop coaching.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
In the present study, two experiments were conducted in which the effectiveness of a training package was assessed on the acquisition and generalization of five social behaviors with language-disabled and severe language-disabled deaf adolescents. The training package encompassed modeling, self-monitoring, self-reinforcement, and mediator-directed supervision and feedback. Procedures to promote generality of effects and social validity of the procedures were used as well. Target behaviors were Initiating Interaction, Turn Waiting, Keeping to the Subject, Communicating Orally, and Using Correct Sentences. Data were collected within a multiple baseline design across behaviors. Results indicated that the training package was effective in improving the performance of all participants. However, increases in percentage of appropriate target behaviors were more substantial for the language-disabled deaf adolescents than for the severely language-disabled deaf adolescents. Maintenance of effects was demonstrated as well.
Behavior modification, 1994 · doi:10.1177/01454455940184003