2010/10/01 by Erin E. Barton, Mark Wolery
Neuroscience · Psychology · #Autism Spectrum Disorder Research #Behavioral and Psychological Studies #Family and Disability Support Research
paper · doi:10.1177/001440291007700104
openalex publication_date 2010/10/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
A multiple probe design was used to examine the relation between teachers' use of the system of least prompts, contingent imitation, and praise, and the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of pretend play by 4 children with disabilities. The teachers' use of the intervention package was functionally related to increases in the children's frequency and diversity of pretense behaviors, including related vocalizations. Children also maintained the responses in probes without prompts and generalized them to sessions with a nonteacher adult. The findings replicate previous studies on adult prompting of pretend play and extend the literature by using taxonomy of pretense to measure pretend play, measuring teachers' fidelity of implementation, and assessing maintenance and generalization of children's pretend play.