Comparaison de deux stratégies pour favoriser la généralisation des apprentissages chez des enfants ayant un trouble du spectre de l’autisme
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often show difficulties in generalizing what they have learned to new stimuli, contexts or persons (Brown & Bebko, 2012; Happé & Frith, 2006; Lovaas, Koegel, Simmons, & Long, 1973; Plaisted, O'Riordan, & Baron-Cohen, 1998). For this reason, it is important to implement strategies to promote generalization within programs intended for this population. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of two of the most commonly used strategies in intensive behavioral intervention (IBI), serial training and concurrent teaching, to determine whether one was systematically more effective than the other at promoting generalization in children with ASD? Single-case experimental designs were used to assess the effects of the two strategies with four children with an ASD diagnosis receiving services in a private clinic. For two participants, concurrent teaching was more effective to promote generalisation of the learned concepts. For the remaining two participants, the two strategies were equally effective. Albeit preliminary, the results suggest that it may be preferable to introduce exemplars concurrently when teaching concepts to children with ASD within IBI programs.
Autism spectrum disorder Generalization Early intervention Serial training Concurrent training