Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Matching Law and Sensitivity to Therapist’s Attention in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

  • ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • Published:
The Psychological Record Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A social skills deficit is one of the core symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and has been hypothesized to be related to a deficit in social sensitivity. This study set out to investigate the social sensitivity of preschoolers with ASDs in an early behavioral intervention setting, using the generalized matching equation as an analytical tool. We evaluated how 14 children with ASDs, ages 3 to 5, allocated their appropriate social behaviors compared to their inappropriate and nonsocial behaviors, based on the attention of their therapists during early behavioral intervention. The objectives were to (a) measure the social sensitivity of participants using the generalized matching equation and describe the stability of this measure after 8 months of intervention and (b) evaluate the relationship between the parameters of the GME and the participants’ level of functioning as measured by their intellectual functioning and severity of autistic symptoms. Seven of the participants significantly varied their appropriate social behaviors based on changes in the social attention of their therapists at the onset of intervention, and 3 more participants showed this pattern after 8 months of intervention. Changes in behavioral bias and social sensitivity after 8 months of observation were significantly correlated with some measures of functioning in the participants. The usefulness of the matching law as a tool for measuring social sensitivity in this population, and its clinical applications, is discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed., text revision). Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baum, W. M. (1974). On the two types of deviation from the matching law: bias and undermatching. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 22, 231–242.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baum, W. M. (1979). Matching, undermatching, and overmatching in studies of choice. Journal of the Experimental Analysis Behavior, 32, 269–281. doi:10.1901/jeab.1979.32-269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borrero, J. C., & Vollmer, T. R. (2002). An application of the matching law to severe problem behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 35, 13–27. doi:10.1901/jaba.2002.35-13.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Borrero, S. W., Vollmer, T. R., Borrero, J. C., Bourret, J. C., Sloman, K. N., Samaha, A. L., & Dallery, J. (2010). Concurrent reinforcement schedules for problem behaviour and appropriate behavior: experimental applications of the matching law. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 93, 455–470. doi:10.1901/jeab.2010.93-455.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • de Villiers, P. (1977). Choice in concurrent schedules and a quantitative formulation of the law of effect. In W. K. Honig & J. E. R. Staddon (Eds.), Handbook of operant behavior (pp. 233–287). Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duval, I., & Forget, J. (2005). Les relations fonctionnelles entre l’attention de l’adulte et les comportements sociaux appropriés d’enfant autistes. [Functional relations between the attention of adult and the appropriate social behaviors of children with autism.]. Revue Québécoise de Psychologie, 26, 67–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eldevik, S., Hastings, R. P., Hugues, C. J., Jahr, E., Eikeseth, S., & Cross, S. (2009). Meta analysis of early intensive behavioral intervention for children with autism. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 38, 438–450. doi:10.1080/15374410902851739.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eldevik, S., Jahr, E., Eikeseth, S., Hastings, R. P., & Hugues, C. J. (2010). Cognitive and adaptative behavior outcomes of behavioral intervention for young children with intellectual disability. Behavior Modification, 34, 16–34. doi:10.1177/0145445509351961.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Forget, J., & Rivard, M. (2010). Évaluer la sensibilité sociale à l’attention de l’adulte. Perspectives de recherche en autisme. [Evaluate the social sensitivity to adult attention. Research perspectives in Autism.]. In G. Magerotte & E. Willaye (Eds.), L’intervention comportementale clinique (pp. 235–273). Bruxelles: De Boeck.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilliam, J. E. (1996). Gilliam autism rating scale. Austin: PRO-ED.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilliam, J. E. (2001). Gilliam Asperger disorder scale. Austin: PRO-ED.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herrnstein, R. J. (1961). Relative and absolute strength of response as a function of frequency of reinforcement. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 4, 267–272. doi:10.1901/jeab.1961.4-267.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Herrnstein, R. J. (1970). On the law of effect. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 13, 243–266. doi:10.1901/jeab.1970.13-243.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hochmann, J. (2009). Une histoire de l’autisme. [One story of autism.]. Paris: Odile Jacob.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, E., Naigles, L., & Fein, D. (2010). An in-depth examination of optimal outcome children with a history of autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 4, 526–538. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2009.12.001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lovaas, O. I. (1987). Behavioral treatment and normal educational and intellectual functioning in young autistic children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55, 3–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lovaas, O. I., Freitas, L., Nelson, K., & Whalen, C. (1967). The establishment of imitation and its use for the development of complex behavior in schizophrenic children. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 5, 171–181. doi:10.1016/0005-7967(67)90032-0.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mace, F. C., McCurdy, B., & Quigley, E. A. (1990). A collateral effect of reward predicted by matching theory. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 23, 197–205. doi:10.1901/jaba.1990.23-197.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Makrygianni, M. K., & Reed, P. (2010). A meta-analytic review of the effectiveness of behavioural early intervention programs for children with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 4, 577–593. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2010.01.014.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McDowell, J. J., & Caron, M. L. (2010). Matching in an undisturbed natural human environment. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 93, 415–433. doi:10.1901/jeab.2010.93-415.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Myerson, J., & Hale, S. (1984). Practical implications of the matching law. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 17, 377–380. doi:10.1901/jaba.1984.17-367.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pierce, W. D., & Epling, W. F. (1983). Choice, matching, and human behavior: a review of the literature. Behavior Analyst, 6, 5–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poirier, N., & Forget, J. (1997). L’analyse quantitative de la relation entre l’attention sociale de l’adulte et la réponse sociale d’enfants autistes et Asperger. [A quantitative analysis of the relation between the social attention of adults and the social responses of children with autism and Asperger syndrome.]. Journal de Thérapie Comportementale et Cognitive, 7, 51–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reed, D. D. (2009). Using Microsoft Office Excel 2007 to conduct generalized matching analyses. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 42, 867–875. doi:10.1901/jaba.2009.42-867.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reed, D. D., Critchfield, T. S., & Martens, B. K. (2006). The generalized matching law in elite sport competition: football play calling as operant choice. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 39, 281–297. doi:10.1901/jaba.2006.146-05.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reichow, B., & Wolery, M. (2009). Comprehensive synthesis of early intensive behavioral interventions for young children with autism based on the UCLA Young Autism Project Model. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39, 23–41. doi:10.1007/s10803-008-0596-0.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rivard, M., & Forget, J. (2006). Les caractéristiques de l’enfant atteint d’un trouble envahissant du développement en lien avec le degré d’intégration sociale en milieu scolaire ordinaire. [The characteristics of children with pervasive developmental disorder related to the level of social integration in ordinary classroom.]. Pratiques Psychologiques (Société Française de Psychologie), 12, 271–295.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rivard, M., & Forget, J. (2012). Verbal behavior in young children with autism spectrum disorders at the onset of an early behavioral intervention program. The Psychological Record, 62, 165–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schopler, E., Reichler, R. J., & Rochen Renner, B. (1988). The childhood autism rating scale. Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shull, R. L. (2005). The sensitivity of response rate to the rate of variable interval reinforcement for pigeons and rats: a review. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 84, 99–111. doi:10.1901/jeab.2005.03-05.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • St. Peter, C. C., Sr., Vollmer, T. R., Bourret, J. C., Borrero, C. S. W., & Sloman, K. N. (2005). On the role of attention in naturally occurring matching relations. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 38, 429–443.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Symons, F. J., Hoch, J., Dahl, N. A., & McComas, J. J. (2003). Sequential and matching analyses of the self-injurious behavior: a case of overmatching in the natural environment. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36, 267–270. doi:10.1901/jaba.2003.36-267.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Virués-Ortega, J. (2010). Applied behavior analytic intervention for autism in early childhood: meta-analysis, meta-regression and dose–response meta-analysis of multiples outcomes. Clinical Psychology Review, 30, 387–399.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wechsler, D. (2002). Wechsler preschool and primary scale of intelligence. San Antonio: Psychological Corp.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département de Psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888 Succursale Centre-ville, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3C 3P8

    Melina Rivard, Jacques Forget & Jean Bégin

  2. Cocoon Development, Longueuil, QC, Canada

    Kelly Kerr

Authors
  1. Melina Rivard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jacques Forget
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kelly Kerr
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jean Bégin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Melina Rivard.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rivard, M., Forget, J., Kerr, K. et al. Matching Law and Sensitivity to Therapist’s Attention in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Psychol Rec 64, 79–88 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40732-014-0015-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40732-014-0015-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation