SIMPLE BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION TECHNIQUES AS AIDS IN TEACHING PARENTS OF AUTISTIC CHILDREN CHILD-REARING PRINCIPLES

A mother was trained to give approval and speech models to her severely disturbed autistic daughter. The training method involved E giving praise, as well as feedback from the records of training sessions contingent on the mother's performance. Approval was contingent on the child's cooperative behaviour and speech following the mother's model. All target behaviour increased, and this increase was maintained eighteen months later. The double behaviour modification program appears to be an effective technique to change a dysfunctional relationship, and works quickly and simply as a training device for teaching child-rearing principles. There is a growing number of studies demonstrating the successful use of systematic behaviour modification in the relatively uncontrolled home environment with parents taking part in the treatment (Bijou et al., 1969; Brown, 1972). This paper arose out of the pcssibilities these studies offer to parents o