TEACHING RELATIONS BETWEEN PICTURES AND PRINTED WORDS IN MATCHING WITH MULTIPLE SAMPLES TO CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

Abstract

This study evaluated the efficacy of a multiple-sample matching-to-sample (MTS) procedure (MTS with compound samples and selection of all comparisons, each comparison corresponding to one element in the sample) for teaching arbitrary relations between pictures and printed words and to produce emergence of derived relations. Relations between printed words and pictures and picture naming were directly taught. Tests assessed derived oral naming of printed words, matching printed words to dictated words, matching printed words to pictures, and vice-versa. Three participants with autism learned the arbitrary relations, named printed words, and showed derived relations involving some of the stimuli. The results extend findings on the efficacy of the adapted multiple-sample procedure, previously used in identity matching, to learning of arbitrary relations and to the emergence of rudimentary reading skills in this population. Key words: relational learning, matching-to-sample, multiple-sample stimuli, stimulus equivalence, reading acquisition, autism