Glossary of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Definitions will be added over the course of this week. If you would like to suggest additional terms for this page, please contact us at hands@iupui.edu.

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Q-Z

Research-Based: See Evidence-based.

Statistically significant: (research) The conclusion that results are unlikely to have occurred due to sampling error or chance and are likely to represent a correlation or difference that exists in the population of interest. OAR: http://www.researchautism.org/resources/parents%20guide.pdf

Verbal Behavior Analysis(VBA; Skinner): Skinner believed that verbal behavior was influenced by the same behavior principles as any other type of behavior. As a result, in his 1957 book, “Verbal Behavior” he described language from a behavioral perspective and thus classified language according to its function. In doing so he came up with new terms, some of which are called: Mands, Tacts, and Intraverbals. Although Skinner did not discuss interventions in his book, procedures to teach language to individuals with ASDs have developed based on his work. These procedures are often referred to as VB (Verbal Behavior), or AVB (Applied Verbal Behavior or Analysis of Verbal Behavior). Initial teaching within a VB framework often occurs in the natural environment with an emphasis on utilizing the child’s motivation. In addition, early teaching is focused on developing mands (requesting skills) and then expanding language to include tacts (labeling) and intraverbal skills (conversations). Since mands, tacts and intraverbals all have different functions the procedures emphasize teaching language across all the different classifications.