Date of Award
12-1-2018
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Rehabilitation
First Advisor
Dixon, Mark
Abstract
The current study utilized a program from the Promoting the Emergence of Advanced Knowledge Relational Training System Transformation Module (PEAK-T) to test derived auditory-tactile cross-sensory relations. Current published research involving cross-sensory relations has mainly focused on audio-visual, this study sought to explore the under-researched audio-tactile cross-sensory relation. A multiple baseline design across two participants was used. Participants were two boys diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder aged 6 and 16 years old. Baseline probes showed that neither participant reliably demonstrated proficiency with the skill prior to instruction. Based off of the procedures outlined in the PEAK-T: Opposing Tactile Qualities, each participant was taught tactile opposites of three stimulus classes: hard-squishy, rough-smooth, and big-small. Test probes were conducted using novel stimuli that fit the same previously taught stimulus classes to evaluate if derived relations had formed. Following instruction, each of the participants reached mastery criteria for directly trained opposite relations among all three stimulus classes as well as the derived relations present in test probes. These results show that the PEAK-T: Opposing Tactile Qualities curriculum was able to help both participants derive new cross-sensory relations within a previously trained stimulus class.
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