scholarly journals Efficacy Trial of Contrasting Approaches to the Response-Contingent Learning of Young Children with Significant Developmental Delays and Multiple Disabilities

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melinda Raab ◽  
Carl J. Dunst ◽  
Deborah W. Hamby
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Developmental Delays ◽  
Primary Caregivers ◽  
Multiple Disabilities ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Efficacy Trial ◽  
Response Contingent ◽  
Very Young Children ◽  
Randomized Control ◽  
Efficient Learning

Findings from a randomized control design efficacy trial of an asset-based vs. needs-based approach to the response-contingent learning of infants and toddlers with significant developmental delays and disabilities who did not use instrumental behavior to produce or elicit reinforcing consequences are reported. The investigation included 71 children randomly assigned to the two contrasting types of interventions. The asset-based intervention and needs-based intervention differed in terms of how child behavior were identified and used to elicit reinforcing consequences as part of response-contingent learning games implemented by the children’s parents or other primary caregivers. Children in the asset-based group were provided more learning opportunities, acquired more response-contingent behavior, and demonstrated more efficient learning compared to children in the needs-based group. Implications for improving practices for very young children with significant developmental delays and multiple disabilities are described.

Stability of Maternal Reports of Lexical Comprehension in Very Young Children With Developmental Delays

1997 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul J. Yoder ◽  
Steven F. Warren ◽  
Heather A. Biggar
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Child Behavior ◽  
Educational Level ◽  
Developmental Delays ◽  
Occupational Status ◽  
Communication Development ◽  
Very Young Children ◽  
Word Classes ◽  
Maternal Reports ◽  
The Stability

The MacArthur Communication Development Inventory: Infant Scale (CDI/I) is among the strongest measures of early lexical comprehension (Fenson et al., 1994). The present study examined the stability of CDI/I results over a 2-week period in a sample of 17 mothers of children with developmental delays. Test-retest stability was computed for total number of words understood (i.e., summary-level stability) and for word-by-word agreement (i.e., item-by-item stability) across a 2-week interval. Results indicated that although there was excellent summary level stability, there was, in many cases, inadequate item-by-item agreement between the two testing occasions. The degree to which mothers were consistent on an item-by-item basis varied as a function of the types of words they were reporting on, the occupational status and educational level of the mothers, and the extent to which mothers confidently interpret nonlinguistic child behavior. These data illustrate that the CDI/I can be used to identify overall vocabulary deficits and specific word classes that are under-represented, but not to identify specific words for remediation.

Extended Child and Caregiver Benefits of Behavior-Based Child Contingency Learning Games

2010 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 259-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl J. Dunst ◽  
Melinda Raab ◽  
Carol M. Trivette ◽  
Linda L. Wilson ◽  
Deborah W. Hamby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Delays ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Contingency Learning ◽  
Research Staff ◽  
Response Contingent ◽  
Learning Games ◽  
Caregiver Behavior ◽  
Behavior Based ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Child Caregiver

Abstract Findings from 2 studies of the relationship between response-contingent child behavior and child, caregiver–child, and caregiver behavior not directly associated with child contingency learning are described. The participants were 19 children with significant developmental delays and their mothers in 1 study and 22 children with significant developmental delays and their teachers in the second study. Caregivers engaged the children in learning games characterized by behavior-based contingencies for 15 weeks. Research staff observed the children and their caregivers in everyday routines and activities and rated child and caregiver behavior while the children and caregivers were not playing the games. Results from both studies showed that the degree of response-contingent responding during the games was related to child and caregiver behavior, not the focus of the contingency learning opportunities afforded the children. Implications for practice are described.

Integration Considerations for Infants and Toddlers with Multiple Disabilities

1989 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 178-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Frances Hanline ◽  
Marci J. Hanson
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Social Integration ◽  
Multiple Disabilities ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Family Needs ◽  
Infants And Toddlers ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Very Young Children ◽  
Preschoolers With Disabilities

The implementation of P.L. 99–457 will result in the expansion of services to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities. With this expansion, the issue of providing opportunities for social integration with non-disabled peers for infants and toddlers with multiple disabilities in community-based settings assumes increasing importance. Because the developmental, educational, and family needs of very young children differ from those of older children, successful integration requires careful consideration of the unique issues facing these children and their families. This article outlines these issues in order to stimulate appropriate integration opportunities for infants and toddlers with multiple disabilities.

Lexical Comprehension in Young Children With Developmental Delays

1994 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theresa A. Kouri
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Developmental Delays ◽  
Normal Development ◽  
Clinical Applications ◽  
Group Status ◽  
Novel Object ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Comprehension Skills ◽  
Lexical Items ◽  
Lexical Concepts

Lexical comprehension skills were examined in 20 young children (aged 28–45 months) with developmental delays (DD) and 20 children (aged 19–34 months) with normal development (ND). Each was assigned to either a story-like script condition or a simple ostensive labeling condition in which the names of three novel object and action items were presented over two experimental sessions. During the experimental sessions, receptive knowledge of the lexical items was assessed through a series of target and generalization probes. Results indicated that all children, irrespective of group status, acquired more lexical concepts in the ostensive labeling condition than in the story narrative condition. Overall, both groups acquired more object than action words, although subjects with ND comprehended more action words than subjects with DD. More target than generalization items were also comprehended by both groups. It is concluded that young children’s comprehension of new lexical concepts is facilitated more by a context in which simple ostensive labels accompany the presentation of specific objects and actions than one in which objects and actions are surrounded by thematic and event-related information. Various clinical applications focusing on the lexical training of young children with DD are discussed.

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