Understanding of Other Persons' Intentions in a Child With Autism : Environmental Cues and Generalization Using Video Discrimination Training

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  • MATSUOKA Katsuhiko
    Doctoral Program in Research on Disabilities, University of Tsukuba:Institute of Research on Disabilities, University of Tsukuba
  • KOBAYASHI Shigeo
    Institute of Research on Disabilities, University of Tsukuba:School of Social Welfare, Kibi International University

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Other Title
  • 自閉症児における「他者意図」の理解に関する研究 : ビデオ弁別訓練による「言外の意味」の理解と般化
  • ジヘイショウジ ニ オケル タシャ イト ノ リカイ ニ カンスル ケンキュウ ビデオ ベンベツ クンレン ニ ヨル ゲンガイ ノ イミ ノ リカイ ト ハンカ

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Abstract

Recently, many published reports have indicated that persons with autism lack a theory of mind, that is, an understanding of the beliefs, hopes and intentions of others. It has been suggested that the lack of a theory of mind causes the communication handicap observed in people with autism (Frith, 1989). The present study examined the independent variable of appreciating others' intentions, putting this mentalistic concept into testable form from the viewpoint of applied behavior analysis (Sidman, 1971). An 8-year-old boy with autism was trained to appreciate other people's intentions when they were indicated ambiguously, by using cues from the surrounding environment. In the experimental situation, a person was confronted with some difficulty, such as carrying heavy luggage, completing difficult problems on a personal computer (playing a jigsaw puzzle and answering questions in English), or lacking a partner to play games with. When this person instructed the boy to observe a room, the boy, seeing a second adult in the room, should fetch that person so that the second adult could help the first and play the games with him. On the other hand, when a person not confronted with difficulties instructed the boy to look at the room, the boy should tact the interior of the room. In baseline, the boy with autism was only able to tact the interior of the room, but after video discrimination training, he was able to fetch the person from the room and to tact the room. The results indicated that the functional analysis of the abstract concept, theory of mind, was effective in enabling training in the appreciation of others' intentions.

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