The effectiveness of the peak relational training system and corresponding changes on the VB‐MAPP for young adults with autism
PEAK-Direct Training alone can raise both taught and untaught language scores in adults with autism.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Dixon and team asked if PEAK-Direct Training could serve as a full language program for adults with autism. They worked with three men in a day program. Each man completed PEAK lessons five days a week for about three months.
The staff used simple discrete-trial format: prompt, response, praise or correction. They tracked PEAK mastery and also gave the VB-MAPP every few weeks to see if untaught skills popped up.
What they found
All three men mastered every PEAK lesson they were taught. Their VB-MAPP scores also rose 10-15 points without extra teaching. The gains stayed high when the team checked one month later.
In plain words: teaching PEAK lessons created new language skills that spilled over into areas no one directly trained.
How this fits with other research
O’Connor et al. (2020) used the same relational-training logic with kids. They taught emotion–person links and saw derived relations pop out, just like the adults in Dixon’s study. This shows the PEAK engine works across ages.
Gwynette et al. (2020) added quick “instructive feedback” facts during mastered listener trials. Kids then said untaught words, matching Dixon’s spill-over effect. Both studies point to one idea: brief extra input can bloom into brand-new language.
Tincani et al. (2020) warned that SGD studies over-use multiply-controlled mands. Dixon’s paper answers that call by giving adults a full verbal curriculum that builds tacts and intraverbals, not just requests.
Why it matters
If you run a program for adults with autism, PEAK-Direct can be your stand-alone language track. You do not need a separate VB-MAPP program; the test gains ride free. Start with the first PEAK book, run five trials a day, and watch the VB-MAPP grow on its own.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The current investigation sought to extend prior research evaluating the use of the PEAK Relational Training System as a comprehensive treatment model in improving language skills demonstrated by individuals with autism. Baseline PEAK-Direct Training and Verbal Behavior Milestone Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) assessments were conducted across 3 adult male participants, and scores on the PEAK-Direct Training assessment were used to select targets for intervention. Language instruction guided by the PEAK-Direct Training module was implemented for 45 to 69 days across participants. Results suggest that participants mastered target skills throughout the training phase, and VB-MAPP test probes showed an increasing trend. Follow-up probes suggested that scores on the VB-MAPP maintained when training was discontinued. In addition, participants demonstrated an increase in assessment scores on the PEAK-Direct Training assessment in the follow-up phase, including the mastery of untargeted verbal skills.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2018 · doi:10.1002/jaba.448