Establishing Relational Non-Arbitrary Distinctive Responding Through Multiple Exemplar Simple Discrimination Training in Young Children with Autism

Currently there is limited published literature on procedures for teaching distinction to individuals who are diagnosed with autism. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the procedures outlined within the PEAK T curriculum to teaching participants to respond in terms of the non-arbitrary property of distinction (i.e., “different”). The procedures that are described in the PEAK T program- 3D- Distinction: Picture Discrimination was replicated across three young males diagnosed with autism using a multiple exemplar simple discrimination training. Responding to non-arbitrary features of stimuli other than sameness is pivotal in the development of more complex forms of language. All three individuals achieved mastery criterion. The results continue to add to the need for research on the different frames of RFT