Verbal Behaviour and Communication
Research categorised under the heading “Verbal Behaviour and Communication” focuses on strategies for developing initial speech, communicating via augmented forms of communication (eg. pictures, sign or iPad apps), different forms of communication (eg. mands, tacts or responses to questions) and strategies for accelerating learning in this area.

Deconstructing Common Bidirectional Naming: A Proposed Classification Framework – Emma Hawkins, Grant Gautreaux & Mecca Chiesa (2018)
It is important that if a child can point to or find an item (act as a listener) that they can also tact, ask for or label that item (act as a speaker) without further teaching. It is also important that children learn how to acquire new language without any direct teaching, but acquire it through listening to others. This is a conceptual paper focussing on this joining of speaker behaviour and listener behaviour: naming. The authors describe different subtypes of naming and how to test for these subtypes. The goal is to assist teachers to systematically implement procedures to induce specific subtypes of naming. This paper was published in The Analysis of Verbal Behavior journal in 2018.
Testing Children Diagnosed with Autism for Six Subtypes of Common Bidirectional Naming – Emma Hawkins & Kate Hewett
Following on from the conceptual article on naming by Hawkins, Gautreaux & Chiesa (2018) this research project tested 6 children diagnosed with autism for the presence of the 6 subtypes of naming. The purpose of the project was to determine whether the 6 children demonstrated emergent behaviour, for example if taught to point to an item then could they also tact/label that items without further teaching? Recommendations were made for each participant in terms of how their curriculum should change to ensure emergent behaviour is maximised. This research was presented in poster format at the 2018 CABAS conference in New Jersey.

Testing the Effects of Multiple Exemplar Instruction on the Induction of Joint Incidental Bidirectional Naming in Older Children and Young Adults Diagnosed with Autism – Emma Hawkins, Grant Gautreaux & Mecca Chiesa
If a child acts as a listener (can point to or find an item), then it is important that they can also act as a speaker (ask for or label that same item) without further teaching. It is also important that children learn how to acquire new language without any direct teaching, but acquire it through listening to others. This is known as emergent verbal behaviour. This is an experimental paper focussing on using procedures to induce emergent verbal behaviour in older children diagnosed with autism. The results of our study were not in line with previously published research with younger children diagnosed with autism. It is suggested that additional prerequisites may be required for this population. This paper was presented at the 45th annual ABA convention in Chicago (May, 2019).

Observing the Effect of Anthropomorphic Toys on the Emission of Verbal Operants in Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder – Liz Ruff & Kate Hewett
This study replicated previously published research by Lodhi and Greer (1989) and showed that the presence of anthropomorphic toys (e.g. dolls, characters) led to more spontaneous language for two children diagnosed with autism.
This paper was presented in poster format at the 7th International CABAS Conference (New Jersey, USA) in 2015.
Introducing ‘The Interest Table’ – a Comparison of Antecedent Stimuli on Peer Interactions in Children with a Diagnosis of Autism – Hayley Locke & Brian Fennell
Children diagnosed with autism can often face difficulties with early verbal development and social interaction with peers. The purpose of this study was to set up an ‘interest table’ in one area of the classroom and determine whether this led to an increase in peer interactions.
This paper was presented in poster format at the 11th International CABAS Conference (New York, USA) in 2022.
Investigating the effects of the echoic on the emergence of naming in children with autism – Kate Hewett, Veronica Baroni, Hayley Locke & Emma Hawkins
Following on from the conceptual article on naming by Hawkins, Gautreaux & Chiesa (2018) this research project tested five children diagnosed with autism for the presence of the six subtypes of naming. The purpose of the project was to determine whether the five children demonstrated emergent behaviour, for example if taught to point to an item then could they also tact/label that items without further teaching? An echoic procedure was implemented to induce the subtypes of naming that were not initially present.
This paper was presented in poster format at the 11th International CABAS Conference (New York, USA) in 2022.