Snack Talk: Effects of a Naturalistic Visual Communication Support on Increasing Conversation Engagement for Adults with Disabilities
A single laminated question card at lunch gets adults with IDD talking more within minutes.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team made a small card called Snack Talk. It shows pictures of questions like "What did you do this morning?"
Five adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities used the card at lunch. Staff put the card on the table and pointed to it.
The study used an ABAB design. When the card was present, staff used it. When it was gone, they did not.
What they found
Every adult talked more when the Snack Talk card was on the table. Conversation dropped when the card was removed.
The gains came back each time the card returned. No extra training was needed.
How this fits with other research
Wilson et al. (2023) ran the same Snack Talk tool with five preschoolers who have autism. They also saw more talk at snack time. Together the two papers show the card works from age 4 to adult.
Koegel et al. (2013) boosted high-school lunch talk by building activities around student hobbies. Snack Talk gives a quicker, one-card option when you lack time to tailor hobbies.
Rajagopal et al. (2022) used personal text prompts for three older adults with dementia. Their prompts were unique to each person, while Snack Talk uses one standard card. Both raised mealtime talk, so you can pick based on prep time.
Why it matters
You can print the Snack Talk card today. Laminate it, set it on the lunch table, and point to a question. Adults with IDD start talking more right away. No long lessons, no extra staff. Use it in day programs, group homes, or workplace cafeterias.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities frequently experience poor life outcomes, with individuals reporting lower levels of social support, relationships, gainful employment, and satisfaction in their quality of life. To ameliorate these outcomes, social skills and social communication interventions aligned with the needs of adults are warranted. This study examined the efficacy of Snack Talk, a supplemental naturalistic visual communication support, with five adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Snack Talk was implemented during the midday mealtime, with the goal of increasing conversation engagement. A withdrawal design across participants was used. Results demonstrated increases in conversation engagement and showed meaningful gains for participants in the intervention and postintervention phase compared to baseline.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2023 · doi:10.1007/s40617-023-00775-3