Effects of textual prompts and feedback on social niceties of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder in a simulated workplace

Yamamoto et al. (2020) tested a two-step package on teens and young adults with autism. Each participant entered a fake office and had to greet a supervisor.

Before the role-play, the learner read a short card with the exact words to say. After the scene, the researcher gave quick praise and one tip for next time.

Nine autistic adolescents tried the package. The team tracked how many used the full greeting without help.

Seven of the nine teens began saying hello, shaking hands, and making eye contact after only a few rounds. The skills stuck when a new adult entered the room.

Two learners showed smaller gains, but the combo still beat baseline. The study calls the package "textual prompts plus performance feedback."

Yamamoto et al. (2024) later dropped the feedback and kept only the card. Gains became shaky, proving the feedback piece matters.

McLucas et al. (2024) swapped the card for a short video plus feedback. Their three autistic youth also learned the greetings fast, showing the idea works across formats.

Lopez et al. (2020) used Apple Watch text prompts with little kids at recess. The same textual cue concept boosted play initiations, hinting the tool spans ages and settings.

You can teach job-ready greetings in one session. Hand the learner a small script card, run a quick practice, then give immediate praise and a tip. Most teens will master the routine and use it with new supervisors. Keep the feedback loop; dropping it weakens results, as the 2024 follow-up shows.