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A script-fading procedure shows potential for increasing context-appropriate empathic statements in some adolescents with autism

Intervention: The participants were taught appropriate empathic verbal responses to three affective states presented by the experimenter. Each affective state included a facial expression (e.g. a grimace of pain) and four possible physical gestures (e.g. holding his own elbow). The authors did not specify if these stimuli were presented in random order. Before the intervention phase began, the participants were taught to read each word of several scripts related to the three affective states: pain; tiredness; and happiness. The scripts included two possible questions or statements for each affective state. For example, if the experimenter was making a pained expression and holding his elbow, the script would require the participant to ask if the experimenter was okay. A time-delay procedure was used to teach one participant the words on flashcards; the other participants were able to read the words with no further instruction. During intervention sessions, the experimenter completed the following steps. First, the experimenter called the child’s name and told him or her to, ‘‘look.’’ Then, once the participant made eye contact, the experimenter presented a facial expression and non-verbal cues indicating one of the three categories of affect. After waiting 1 s for a spontaneous response, the experimenter would show a related written script to the student. If the student used the correct script, the experimenter would reinforce with a token and verbal praise. If the child did not read the script, an experimenter would take the child’s hand and help him or her point to the script. When the child read the script, he or she was rewarded with a token and verbal praise. Once a participant met criterion (100% correct reading of the script phrases for five sessions in a row), a four-step script-fading procedure began. Scripts were faded for all affective states concurrently. The first step involved removing the last word of the script. In the second step, all words but the first word were removed. In the third, a blank card was presented. In the final step, no scripts were shown. One participant needed additional fading steps, including fading the scripts to the first letter of the first word and the addition of audio scripts, which were eventually faded in the manner described for the written scripts. The authors did not state who implemented the procedures or how that person was METHODS