Teaching joint attention skills to pairs of children with autism
Script fading plus light prompts taught four preschoolers with autism to both start and answer joint attention bids during play.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Shillingsburg et al. (2022) worked with four preschoolers with autism. They paired the kids and taught both joint attention skills at once.
The team used three tools together: script fading, gentle physical help, and echoic prompts. All teaching happened during regular play time.
What they found
Every child learned to both start and answer joint attention bids. When partners switched roles, the kids still used the skills.
Some spontaneous joint attention showed up with new toys and new adults.
How this fits with other research
Rozenblat et al. (2019) used the same script-fading idea with teens and young adults. The method works across wide age ranges.
Patton et al. (2020) and Falcomata et al. (2012) already showed script fading alone works for preschoolers. Shillingsburg adds extra prompts, making the package stronger.
Day et al. (2021) saw only mixed gains when parents ran playdates that targeted requesting. The difference: Shillingsburg used direct clinician teaching, not parent playdates, and focused on joint attention first.
Why it matters
You can teach both initiating and responding joint attention in the same short sessions. Use script cards, model the words, give gentle help, and fade fast. Try pairing kids so they practice with a peer, not just you. Watch for generalization by swapping toys and partners often.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Tape a short script to a favorite toy, model it once, and prompt the child to say it to a peer, then fade the card.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
AbstractThe purpose of the current study was to integrate recommendations from the joint attention literature into a set of procedures suited for a clinical setting serving children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. In baseline, the two pairs of children did not engage in any form of joint attention with one another during the target play context (i.e., a treasure hunt). A treatment package consisting of script fading, graduated guidance, and echoic prompting was used to teach one child per pair to engage in an initiation of joint attention (IJA) and the other child to engage in a response to joint attention (RJA). Results suggest the intervention was effective as children in all pairs independently engaged in IJA and RJA. During a role reversal probe (i.e., without direct teaching), all participants demonstrated responses taught to their peer. Finally, some increases in responding were observed during generalization activities.
Behavioral Interventions, 2022 · doi:10.1002/bin.1864