2025 Theses Doctoral

The Effects of Intensive Tact Instruction on Two- and Three-point Responding to Joint Attention

Ishikawa, Nana

Low demonstration or lack of joint attention are one of the earliest indicators of children being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Previous research shows that demonstrating joint attention is important for a child’s development and is fully demonstrated by 12 to 18 months of age. Joint attention is defined as a child sharing an experience with another individual and this definition does not require ongoing coordinated eye gaze during the shared experience. To expand the joint attention literature, two experiments were conducted to increase joint attention in toddlers and children.

The purpose of Experiment 1 was to induce joint attention (RJA and IJA) using an Intensive Tact Instruction (ITI) for children with listener and speaker skills and was a systematic replication of Harms (2020). The participants were selected based on a purposive and convenience sample and they were all receiving Special Instruction services at an Early Intervention center during the time of the experiment. The participants were between the ages of 2 and 3 years. The researcher recruited participants who did not emit three-point RJA. A nonconcurrent multiple baseline design was used to measure the Effects of the ITI on two- point RJA, three-point RJA, and IJA across 3 participants. Results indicated that 1 out of 3 participants increased three-point RJA and IJA to criterion-level but the remaining 2 participants did not increase three-point RJA after experiencing the ITI.

The purpose of Experiment 2 was to target two-point RJA using an ITI intervention for children who emitted limited to no two-point RJA during the preintervention assessments. The participants were selected based on a convenience sample and they were all receiving Special Instruction services at an Early Intervention center or at a preschool during the time of the experiment. The participants were between the ages of 2 and 4 years. None of the participants demonstrated criterion-level of two-point RJA prior to beginning the experiment.

The main dependent variable in this experiment JOINT ATTENTION 4 was two-point RJA while also assessing three-point RJA, IJA, vocal verbal operants, and the childhood joint attention rating scale (C-JARS). A concurrent multiple baseline design was used to measure the effect of the ITI on two-point RJA. The results indicated that participants who completed the experiment increased two-point RJA to criterion level and demonstrated a functional relation between the ITI and two-point RJA. Experiment 2 also successfully increased three-point RJA with one participant and IJA with one participant. The ITI used an elongated reinforcer experience as part of the consequence for correct tact responses and successfully paired social experiences as a reinforcer. This resulted in increasing two-point RJA to criterion level across all participants who completed the experiment. Results indicate that the ITI may successfully lead to an increase in two-point RJA in toddlers and children between the ages of 2 and 4 years old because it establishes reinforcement for sharing social experiences with another person.

Keywords: Joint Attention, Language, Intensive Tact, Natural Reinforcers