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An Assessment and Instructional Guide for Motor and Vocal Imitation

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Abstract

The Motor and Vocal Imitation Assessment (MVIA) was developed to evaluate a proposed hierarchy of imitation skills that could be used to formulate an experimentally-validated instructional guide for intervention. Imitation performance was assessed via the MVIA in 30 typically developing (TD) children and 30 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Children with ASD and TD demonstrated similar patterns of imitation. Children had higher performance scores in object imitation, followed by body, then vocal, and lastly facial imitation. The results revealed a pattern of imitation performance that provides the basis for an experimentally-validated instructional guide for intervention.

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  1. Elaine Espanola and Anibal Gutierrez have contributed equally to the development of this study.

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  1. Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce De Leon Blvd, 2nd Floor, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA

    Elaine Espanola Aguirre & Anibal Gutierrez

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  1. Elaine Espanola Aguirre
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EEA conceptualized and designed this study, drafted the manuscript, and approves the final version being submitted. AG contributed to the design, has reviewed and contributed to the current manuscript, and approves of the final version being submitted.

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Correspondence to Elaine Espanola Aguirre.

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Espanola Aguirre, E., Gutierrez, A. An Assessment and Instructional Guide for Motor and Vocal Imitation. J Autism Dev Disord 49, 2545–2558 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-04008-x

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