In behavioral therapy, there are many publications on the importance of using appropriate terminology in ABA therapy and truthfully and accurately describing procedures. Similarly, evaluating scientific research from the perspective of a particular child's characteristics and targeted skills is equally important.
Applied behavior analysis is supported by many foundational elements, and these are the ones bringing notable differences in autistic individual's behavior. Talking of language development in them, mand and tact are such core elements with a major part to play. You can also define them as verbal operants and understand them to clarify their role in managing the complexities of language development.
Mand refers to a request or asking for something one needs, while tact is the ability to describe or label something. Both of these methods are important in developing effective language skills.
This brings us to an important issue related to the development and implementation of ABA programs, around which there are often some disagreements: What is the best thing to focus on in ABA therapy for children with autism first: making requests or naming objects (mand and tact)? Let us try to consider this issue from the above perspective.
With this post, let us dive deeper into the nuances of professional insights and publications to understand the more crucial aspect.
Relevant Terminologies
Behavioral analysts, who advocate for the wider use of verbal behavior terminology in behavioral therapy, have done a lot for specialists in the industry to start using accurate terminology. In layman's terms, mand is when a child asks or demands something, and tact is when a child calls the name of something. In behavioral terminology, mand is a verbal response that is controlled by motivating conditions. Mands play an important role in the development of communication skills in children with autism and other communication disorders. They help teach a child to express their needs and desires effectively, improve interaction with others, and promote the development of social skills. Tact is a verbal reaction that is controlled by non-verbal specific stimuli, such as an object or a property of an object.
Mand has brought notable benefits to an autistic individual's communication skills. It can lower their frustration levels, help them become dependent, and develop a sense of control in them. The obstruction in expressing their needs and support is greatly dealt with here. Tact offers similar benefits. Individuals grasp conceptual understanding, can communicate better, and present less challenging behaviors.
Understanding the Procedures
There are enough studies supporting the fact that ABA supports the social, emotional, and communication skills of children pursuing the therapy. However, none of them resolved the concern faced by many experts in the industry. What is the best way to focus on when working with autistic children from the beginning?-- on mand reactions or on tact reactions?
First, it is essential to understand whether the procedure used does not lead to biased results. Since the ultimate goal is to teach autistic children both mand and tact reactions, it can be unfair to focus on only one of the procedures for the fastest mastery of the target skills. Here:
We need to figure out whether children learn mand and tact skills faster if there is more emphasis on one of the target skills.
We must evaluate research in the context of the characteristics of a particular child and the target skills we would like to teach them.
The Force of Mand and Tact Together
The question, which is better, is too simplistic. There has been enough research supporting the role of considering skill formation and various characteristics when deciding the more essential skills to focus on in the curriculum.
It is no surprise that several studies on these procedures to find the answer. When incorporated together, mand and tact delivered an improved outcome collectively. Yet, this leaves us with the same question- which one is to choose first?
The Findings and Observations
In the coming section, we can focus on finding the solution. Here are some of the studies in which scientists have tried to answer the question we posed.
1. Hall (1987) - The study showed that learning tact reactions does NOT lead to spontaneous mand reactions. The notion of CEOs or ‘conditioned establishing operations’ was a part of this study. It involved two children with hearing and developmental disabilities and a low level of mand behavior.
2. Arntzen (2002) talks about a study on the effectiveness of learning verbal behavior. It found that learning tact reactions led to slower skill acquisition than alternating training blocks on mand and tact skills. However, in the tact-reaction training sessions, the amplification intensity was reduced to match the amplification mode in alternative sessions of alternating mand and tact training. This somewhat distorts the results because one of the practical strengths of tact reaction training is that specialists can usually provide a more intensive reinforcement regime. Three children with autism participated in the study, and objects, images, and letters were a part of the study.
3. Wallace (2006) showed a notable difference. The study involved three adults with mental retardation who had a low level of mand behavior. The difference was that highly preferred objects trained as tact reactions moved much faster into mand reactions in comparison to low-preferred objects.
4. Kelly (2007) – This study used the example of one child with autism. The observations were that more reactions initially trained as tact turn into mand (2 out of 3). Fewer reactions initially trained as mand turn into tact reactions (1 out of 5). In the other two children with milder impairments (general speech delay and apraxia), the skills transition was easier, regardless of which target skills were learned first.
Understanding the Findings
Based on our preliminary research, it is essential to consider several factors when deciding the order and intensity of learning mand and tact skills in the ABA program. Take a look at them here:
1. Understand if the child has a low-intensity of mand behavior
In such stances, the emphasis on mand reactions makes sense. Making a request is a skill that children with autism often do not learn on their own, even if they know the names of the subjects.
If not, then it makes sense to focus on tact reactions. Based on the findings, it is safe to conclude that children are more likely to generalize their reaction time. These later turn into mand reactions (at least this is true for the most preferred elements) rather than the other way around.
2. The Child Learns the Names of New Subjects During the Manual Training
If so, the emphasis should be on the mand repertoire. If not, then it probably makes sense to take the time to learn the names of objects as tact reactions. Training in mand reactions is limited by the saturation effect (when a child ceases to be interested in a particular object during a learning session. Training in tact reactions can be conducted more often and with various incentives.
3. There is a Large Number of Mand Reactions to be Taught
If so, the rate of skill acquisition can be enhanced by learning the names of certain subjects as reactions to the tact. Since, again, such names are more likely to become part of the mand repertoire.
4. The Presence of Any Difficult Mand Reactions to Practice Due to Time Constraints or Any Other Factors
Learning through some objects or events that a child prefers can take a long time (for example, teaching a child 'on the street'). In addition, there are objects and activities that you would not want your child to have frequent access to while learning mand reactions (for example, naming various sweets). Some children who have difficulty with verbal skills are not always willing to put up with attempts to form the sounds they utter when they ask for the objects they most desire.
Final Thoughts
This post has reached an end. By now, it is safe to conclude and say that in all these cases, tact training has a role in teaching a child the names of objects within the framework of tact reactions. This, according to the findings, is more likely to turn into mand reactions in the future. The true individualization of a child's ABA program involves a huge amount of work. It involves a careful study of all the characteristics of a particular child, as well as taking into account all the factors described above. The need to focus on these individualized strategies is supported by the outcome of developing the most promising skills that can support the individual's future in the long term.
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