TEACHING PERSPECTIVE TAKING USING IMAGINATIVE PLAY IN TYPICALLY DEVELOPING CHILDREN

Author

Jenn Aguero, Southern Illinois University CarbondaleFollow

Date of Award

5-1-2013

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Behavior Analysis and Therapy

First Advisor

Dixon, Mark

Second Advisor

Nastally, Becky

Abstract

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS/DISSERTATION OF JENN AGUERO, for the Master of Science degree in Behavior Analysis and Therapy, presented on April 8, 2013 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. (Do not use abbreviations.) TITLE: TEACHING PERSPECTIVE TAKING USING IMAGINATIVE PLAY IN TYPICALLY DEVELOPING CHILDREN MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Mark Dixon Recently, behavior analysis has begun to investigate perspective-taking and a means at which to measure, teach and acquire it. A protocol has been developed and administered in previous studies to assess perspective-taking in children. That protocol was revised to include children's toys that could be used as representative stimuli during the testing and training sessions. Currently, no other study has utilized this protocol along with children's toys; requiring the participants to switch perspectives between themselves and the characters. Participants in this study were all typically developing children between the ages of six and seven. Results indicated that multiple instances of implementation of the training protocol increased the ability to correctly complete the perspective taking task.