Journal Monitor: Psychology Selection

The aim of this study was to carry out a direct and comprehensive comparison of video modelling and in vivo modelling for the acquisition and generalisation of target behaviours across different tasks in a group of five children with low and high levels of functioning (their mental age ranging from 4 yrs 4 months to 6 yrs 9 months). A multiple baseline design across all children and for each child, across the two modelling conditions and the different tasks, was used. Each child was presented with two tasks of similar difficulty; one task was assigned to the video condition and the other was used for the in vivo condition. Target behaviours were nonverbal (independent play, self-help skills), verbal (expressive labeling of emotions, spontaneous greetings, conversational speech, oral comprehension) and social (cooperative play, social play). In both modelling conditions the models were familiar adults who demonstrated the target behaviours at a slow pace. Overall, the findings suggest that video modelling is an effective procedure for teaching children with autism a number of different skills.