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Gorham, Barnes-Holmes, Barnes-Holmes & Berens, 2009

APA Citation

Gorham, M., Barnes-Holmes, Y., Barnes-Holmes, D., & Berens, N. (2009). Derived comparative and transitive relations in young children with and without autism. The Psychological Record, 59, 221-246.

Publication Topic
RFT: Empirical
Publication Type
Article
Language
English
Abstract

The current study comprised 2 experiments to generate relational responding in typically developing children and children with autism. In Study 1, the children were exposed to a problem-solving task that involved the presentation of 2, 3, or 4 identically sized coins to test and train the arbitrary relations of more than and less than. All 8 children failed baseline tests involving 4 coins and were exposed to training of the A-B, B-C, A-B-C, and A-B-C-D relations. Seven proceeded rapidly through training and passed tests with a novel set. They then participated in Study 2. Four typically developing children and 2 with autism failed baseline B-D tests. Although the former proceeded rapidly through B-D training with 4 and 5 coins, the latter required interventions. All 7 children thereafter demonstrated B-D relations with 4 and 5 coins. These findings support relational frame theory and its use in educational interventions with developmentally delayed populations.