Generalization of an Adolescent's Social Interaction Behavior via Multiple Peers in a Classroom Setting

This study examined the effects of training an adolescent with autism to initiate to nonhandicapped children who were sequentially introduced to training. Using a multiple baseline design across nonhandicapped training peers, the subject's rate of social initiations and percentage of time spent in continuous, spontaneous interactions with both training and nontraining peers were examined. Results indicated that spontaneous initiations to and interactions with nonhandicapped peers increased with the introduction of the second training peer. Results also indicated that across-peer generalization was more evident after training with the third peer and continued even after cessation of the training tactics. The findings contribute to an emerging data base indicating that sequential training across nonhandicapped peers is an effective means of promoting generalization of newly acquired social behavior.