Using video modeling and reinforcement to teach perspective-taking skills to children with autism.

LeBlanc et al. (2003) tested if kids with autism could learn to take another person's point of view. Three children watched short videos of people sharing toys. After each clip, the kids answered questions like "Where will she look for the toy?" Correct answers earned stickers and praise.

The team used a multiple-baseline design across the three children. They measured how well each child answered perspective questions before, during, and after the video lessons.

All three children learned to answer the perspective questions correctly. Two of the three kids could also answer new, untrained questions. The third child only did well on the exact clips he had seen.

The skills stayed strong when the team checked again later. This shows video modeling plus small rewards can teach perspective-taking, but generalization needs close watching.

Rex et al. (2018) used the same video-plus-reward package to teach six kids how to stand up to bullies. Like A et al., most children could use the skill in new situations, proving the method travels across social skills.

Abadir et al. (2021) stretched the idea further. They added quick in-person practice after the videos and taught four kids to refuse abduction lures. More kids kept the skill in real places, showing that extra rehearsal helps when safety is on the line.

Ni et al. (2021) got similar gains without videos at all. They taught mental rotation tricks and also improved perspective-taking. So videos are one good road, but not the only road.

Groom-Sheddler et al. (2025) swapped regular videos for self-videos and added behavioral-skills training. Their tweak worked when video modeling alone failed, showing how the field keeps upgrading the same core tool.

You already have a cheap, fast tool in your kit: short videos plus praise. Use it for perspective-taking, refusing bullies, or saying no to strangers. Always run a few untrained probes right after mastery. If the skill doesn't travel, add brief real-world practice like Abadir and Groom-Sheddler did. One extra five-minute role-play can save weeks of re-teaching.