Relational Ability and Language Performance in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders and Typically Developing Children: A Further Test of the TARPA Protocol

A Systematic Review of Derived Relational Responding Beyond Coordination in Individuals with Autism and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

As interest in derived relational responding has increased, so have the number of investigations evaluating interventions to promote the emergence of derived responding for individuals with autism, as well as other intellectual and developmental disabilities. However, much of the literature has focused on the relation of sameness, and less is known about interventions to facilitate derived responding in other relations. Systematic searches identified 38 studies contained in 30 articles that met inclusion criteria. These studies were analyzed according to their participants, assessment methods, experimental design, content taught, setting, teaching procedures, derived responses, outcomes, and reliability measures. The quality of the studies was measured using the Single Case Analysis and Research Framework (SCARF). The results of the current review indicate that many learners with autism spectrum disorder and other intellectual and developmental disabilities demonstrate derived relational responding beyond the relation of coordination across varied instructional content and teaching methodologies, but the quality and rigor of the published literature requires the results be interpreted with caution, leading to recommendations for future research.

Validity and Reliability Evidence for Assessments Based in Applied Behavior Analysis: A Systematic Review

The current article presents the findings from a systematic review of the available reliability and validity evidence supporting the use of criterion-referenced assessments based on the applied behavior analysis framework. We identified 46 studies that reported reliability and/or validity evidence for six assessments, 37 of which presented reliability evidence and 43 presented validity evidence. Additionally, we extracted and summarized information related to participant characteristics (e.g., age, sex, diagnosis), geographic location, and research setting (e.g., residential facility, home). Overall, we found conflicting support for the use of the assessments. When coupled with the reported usage by behavior analysis professionals, our findings suggest a misalignment between the reportedly used assessments and the number of published studies providing validity and/or reliability evidence. We found inconsistent use of measurement-related vocabulary and that many studies could have been strengthened by conducting different statistical analyses. We provide a summary of studies, findings, and offer recommendations for clinical practice and future measurement research.

The Relational Abilities Index+: Initial Validation of a Functionally Understood Proxy Measure for Intelligence

The Relational Abilities Index (RAI) has shown considerable utility as a functional proxy measurement of intellectual performance by providing a metric of an important skill set known as relational skills, which are proposed to underlie much of what we conceive of as intellectual behavior. The Relational Abilities Index+ (RAI+) assesses performance across an extended range of relational skills (Same/Opposite, More/Less, Same/Different, Before/After, and Analogy), and has been designed to provide a more comprehensive and nuanced assessment of relational skills. The current study aims to investigate the validity and utility of the RAI+ by assessing its degree of correlation with well-established assessments of intelligence (WASI), numeracy (WAIS: Arithmetic), and educational attainment (WIAT-T-II). Results indicate that the RAI+ displays considerable efficacy in predicting intellectual performance and numeracy, but not educational attainment.

The Verbal Behavior Stimulus Control Ratio Equation: a Quantification of Language

Language is a much sought-after yet elusive subject matter for scientific investigation. Entire fields of study have evolved to address the complexities of language, with most using a structural analysis as the framework for examination. Skinner (Verbal Behavior, 1957) proposed that language fell within the scope of a science of behavior and was therefore open to functional analysis and interpretation. Over the past 60 years, much has been done to further the scientific explanation, prediction, and control of verbal behavior as a function of environmental variables. However, we still need to more accurately describe the subject matter of investigation. The stimulus control ratio equation (SCoRE) is a metric to summarize a behavioral repertoire by comparing the relative frequency of its component parts. The verbal behavior SCoRE compares the observed proportions of responding against the null hypothesis to yield a statistic to describe the present level of functional performance. Such information may be useful for measuring change over time and comparing treatment effects within individuals and across groups. This article provides a conceptualization of the interdependence of the verbal operants identified by Skinner (1957), a model for analyzing the entirety of the verbal repertoire, and implications for research and practice.