Skip to main content
Log in

Derived Equivalence Relations of Geometry Skills in Students with Autism: an Application of the PEAK-E Curriculum

  • Brief Report
  • Published:
The Analysis of Verbal Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present study evaluated the efficacy of equivalence-based instruction (EBI) as described in the PEAK-E curriculum (Dixon, 2015) for promoting the emergence of derived geometry skills in two children with high-functioning autism. The results suggested that direct training of shape name (A) to shape property (B) (i.e., A-B relations) was effective for both participants. Following A-B training, both participants demonstrated emergent relations that are consistent with symmetry (B-A), as well as emergent shape name (A) to shape picture (C) relations that are consistent with transitivity (A-C). The results expand on existing literature by demonstrating the emergence of an A-C relation when neither A nor B stimuli were ever trained to C stimuli and illustrate the efficacy of EBI for training geometry skills.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

References

  • Browder, D. M., Spooner, F., Ahlgrim-Delzell, L., Harris, A., & Wakeman, S. Y. (2008). A meta-analysis on teaching mathematics to students with significant cognitive disabilities. Exceptional Children, 74, 407–432. doi:10.1177/001440290807400401.

    Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among children aged 8 years—Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 sites, United States, 2010. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 63(2).

  • Cihak, D. F., & Grim, J. (2008). Teaching students with autism spectrum disorders and moderate intellectual disabilities to use counting-on strategies to enhance independent purchasing skills. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2, 716–727. doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2008.02.006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dixon, M. R. (2014). The PEAK relational training system: direct training module. Carbondale, IL: Shawnee Scientific.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixon, M. R. (2015). The PEAK relational training system: equivalence module. Carbondale, IL: Shawnee Scientific.

    Google Scholar 

  • Green, G., & Saunders, R. R. (1998). Stimulus equivalence. In K. A. Lattal & M. Perone (Eds.), Handbook of research methods in human operant behavior (pp. 229–262). New York: Plenum.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, S. C., Barnes-Holmes, D., & Roche, B. (2001). Relational frame theory: a post-Skinnerian account of human language and cognition. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henklain, M. H. O., & Carmo, J. S. (2013). Stimulus equivalence and increase of correct responses in addition and subtraction problems. Paidéia (Ribeirão Preto), 23(56), 349–358. doi:10.1590/1982-43272356201309.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horne, P. J., & Lowe, C. F. (1996). On the origins of naming and other symbolic behavior. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 65, 185–241. doi:10.1901/jeab.1996.65-185.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Keintz, K. S., Miguel, C. F., Kao, B., & Finn, H. E. (2011). Using conditional discrimination training to produce emergent relations between coins and their values in children with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 44, 909–913. doi:10.1901/jaba.2011.44-909.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lynch, D. C., & Cuvo, A. J. (1995). Stimulus equivalence instruction of fraction-decimal relations. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 28, 115–126. doi:10.1901/jaba.1995.28-115.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • McDonagh, E. C., McIlvane, W. J., & Stoddard, L. T. (1984). Teaching coin equivalences via matching to sample. Applied Research in Mental Retardation, 5, 177–197. doi:10.1016/S0270-3092(84)80001-6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, D. C. (2009). The role of private events in the interpretation of complex behavior. Behavior and Philosophy, 37, 3–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sidman, M. (1994). Equivalence relations: a research story. Boston: Authors Cooperative.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sidman, M., & Tailby, W. (1982). Conditional discrimination vs. matching to sample: an expansion of the testing paradigm. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 37, 5–22. doi:10.1901/jeab.1982.37-5.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Stoddard, L. T., Brown, J., Hurlbert, B., Manoli, C., & McIlvane, W. J. (1989). Teaching money skills through stimulus class formation, exclusion, and component matching methods: three case studies. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 10, 413–439. doi:10.1016/0891-4222(89)90041-3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sundberg, M. L. (2008). Verbal behavior milestones assessment and placement program: the VB-MAPP. Concord, CA: AVB.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mark R. Dixon.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest and Disclosures

The first author receives small royalties from the sales of the PEAK curriculum. Remaining authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights

All procedures performed involving our human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Dixon, M.R., Belisle, J., Stanley, C.R. et al. Derived Equivalence Relations of Geometry Skills in Students with Autism: an Application of the PEAK-E Curriculum. Analysis Verbal Behav 32, 38–45 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40616-016-0051-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40616-016-0051-9

Keywords

Navigation