An intraverbal is a response to the language of another person. This type of language involves explaining, discussing, or describing an item or situation that is not present or not happening at the moment. A few examples of intraverbals include filling in missing words and answering questions. The following are a few examples of intraverbals in ABA:
- The parent says “the ____ on the bus go ‘round and ‘round” and the child says “wheels.”
- The parent asks the child, “What color is our car?” and the child answers “grey.”
- If a child responds to a question, their response is intraverbal.
Can Intraverbal Webbing Help My Child’s Verbal Behavior?
Intraverbal webbing is a behavior analytic technique that can be used with aba|tools to help BCBAs, parents, teachers, and therapists teach intraverbal skills to children on the autism spectrum. If you are looking to update your flashcards to digital ABA resources, look for an ABA iPad app designed by a BCBA. In order for a child to be diagnosed with autism, he or she must meet certain criteria from the following categories:
- Social interaction
- Communication
- Restrictive, repetitive behavior patterns
Social Interaction
Children with autism often have trouble developing peer relationships that are appropriate for the child’s age. This may include avoiding others or failing to interact with others in a group setting. Another type of social interaction delay involves the impairment in non-verbal behaviors like making eye contact, facial expressions, body postures, gestures, and regulating social interaction. Children on the autism spectrum may not try to seek enjoyment with others. They may struggle with making eye contact and making gestures like head nodding or shrugging in response to a question. Social and language skills influence many aspects of child development and can be enhanced by tools like intraverbal webbing.
Language Skills and Communication
Children who struggle with communication may exhibit a delay in–or absence of–spoken language development. They often struggle to initiate or sustain a conversation with others. Some children on the autism spectrum may not try to communicate with others at all or use repetitive, idiosyncratic language. For example, a child might repeat sounds, words, or phrases over and over out of context. Children on the autism spectrum frequently struggle with spontaneous make-believe or imitative social play appropriate to the child’s age and developmental level.
Restrictive Patterns
Inflexible adherence to certain non-functional routines and rituals may be an indication of an autism spectrum disorder. This could include refusing to deviate from certain routines. Repetitive movements such as hand flapping, finger flapping, rocking back and forth, and toe walking–when combined with social and communication delays–may be an indication of an autism spectrum disorder. It is common for some children on the autism spectrum to get persistently preoccupied with the parts of certain objects. For example, if the child has a toy car, s/he might only be interested in the wheels.
Can ABA Therapy Help My Child Learn to Talk?
We don’t know what causes autism spectrum disorder, but we know that applied behavior analysis is the most effective program available to treat it. High-functioning clients often “graduate” out of the program with the right combination of therapy and language assistance. Intraverbal webbing is a tool used by BCBAs to promote explanation, discussion, and description, and differentiation among stimuli. Traditionally therapists used flashcards to teach foundational conversation skills. Intraverbal webbing allows therapists and parents to reinforce expressive language–what the child can say–and receptive language–what the child can understand.
Learning to Use ABA Resources to Assist Language Acquisition
If you have questions about intraverbal webbing or want more information about how to encourage your child or client’s verbal behavior development, register for aba|tools to start your child on a journey of language acquisition.
