Teaching Complex Intraverbals and Response Variability in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Daniel Carvalho de Matos, Pollianna Galvão Soares de Matos, Katiane Reis da Silva, Rosana Mendes Éleres de Figueiredo

Abstract
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) commonly show difficulties in developing intraverbals. One case relates to providing the names of items belonging to categories (e.g., saying “ruler, sharpener and pencil” under the instruction “name some school items”). The goal of this investigation was to compare the effects of two procedures (differential reinforcement with and without instructive feedback) on the acquisition of intraverbals and production of response variability in two children with ASD. The variability consisted inthe emission of category item names under different sequences. As a result, the targets were established for both children. For one of them, the procedure without instructive feedback was slightly better because errorless intraverbal performance was established first. Demonstrations of response variability occurred in more teaching sessions. In the case of the other child, it was the opposite (the procedure with instructive feedback was better). Data were discussed as to possibilities for future studies.

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