Supporting the Conversational Behavior of Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders with Self-Monitoring and a Video-Based Supplement.

Researchers tested a program to help three teenagers with autism (ages 16-18) improve their conversation skills. The teens learned to monitor their own behavior and watched daily videos showing good conversation examples. The program focused on taking turns in conversation and asking appropriate questions or making relevant comments. All three teens got better at having conversations after using this approach. The teens also liked using the program.

This study evaluated a self-monitoring intervention combined with daily video-based supplements to improve conversational skills in three adolescents with ASD aged 16-18 years. Using a withdrawal design, researchers measured appropriate conversational behavior during 10-minute sessions, defined as turn-taking followed by on-topic statements or contextually appropriate questions. All participants showed consistent improvement in conversational behavior under the intervention. The study assessed treatment fidelity and acceptability, with participants finding the intervention acceptable.

Results suggest that self-monitoring with video supplements can effectively support conversational skills development in adolescents with ASD, providing guidance for intervention planning to address conversational challenges.

Self-monitoring combined with video modeling shows promise as an intervention for conversational skills in adolescents with ASD. The approach appears feasible and acceptable to participants. Clinicians should consider this combination when addressing turn-taking, topic maintenance, and question-asking skills in autism intervention programs.

Very small sample size (n=3) limits generalizability. Withdrawal design methodology not fully described. Long-term maintenance of gains not assessed. Lack of control group comparison. Specific video content and self-monitoring procedures not detailed in abstract.

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) might demonstrate impairments in initiating and sustaining a conversation and experience conversational challenges such as question-asking and turn-taking. Conversational skills are pivotal for the social functioning of adolescents with ASD. The current investigation aimed to extend the available information on interventions addressing the conversational needs of adolescents with ASD. The research questions were: (a) What is the effect of self-monitoring, supplemented by a video-based model on the conversational skills of adolescent students with ASD? and (b) What is the acceptability of the intervention among the participating adolescents with ASD?.

Appropriate conversational behavior of three students with ASD (aged 16-18 years) was assessed using a withdrawal design, during 10-min conversation sessions. Appropriate conversational behavior was defined as a sequence of a turn-taking response (i.e., waiting quietly until the speaker finished talking), followed by a verbal utterance which included (a) making a statement or responding on topic, and/or (b) asking a contextually appropriate "wh"- question. The independent variable consisted of a primary self-monitoring procedure and a daily video-based supplement. Treatment fidelity and treatment acceptability were also assessed.

The conversational behavior of all participants consistently improved under the self-monitoring intervention with the video-based supplement. Self-monitoring with a video-based supplement can effectively support the conversational behavior in adolescents with ASD. This information can guide the evaluation and planning of appropriate interventions designed to improve limited conversational behaviors of adolescents with ASD.