Pivotal Response Training (PRT)

Pivotal Response Training (PRT)

What is Pivotal Response Training?
Pivotal response training (PRT) is a
behavioral treatment intervention based on the
principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA)
and derived from the work of Koegel,
Schreibman, Dunlap, Horner, and other
researchers. It is a composite of the research on
task interspersal, direct reinforcement, and role
of choice. Key pivotal behaviors have been
identified for children with autism: motivation
and responsivity to multiple cues (Koegel &
Koegel). PRT has demonstrated positive
changes in these "pivotal behaviors" exhibiting
widespread effects on many other behaviors
associated with language and social interaction.
Pivotal Response Training (PRT) provides a
guideline for teaching skills and has been most
successful for language, play and social
interaction skills in children with autism.
The main components of PRT:
· Choice (shared control to increase
motivation)
· Clear and uninterrupted instructions
or opportunities (make sure child is
attending)
· Reinforcement of approximations/
attempts
· Reinforcement has a specific
relationship to the desired behavior
natural reinforcement ("ball" gets
ball, not praise. Child chooses
object for instruction and that object
is used. This is done to increase
motivation)
· Multiple examples or multiple
components presented (e.g., use two
different objects but same verb such
as "roll car" and then "roll ball" then
"throw ball." Multiple components
also means using "new pants" or
"red suite" versus just "pants" or
"suit." This is done to increase
responsiveness to multiple cues.
(http://www.spectrumcenter.org/auti
smplanning.html)
Pivotal Response Training and Social
Skills
Social skills deficits are a hallmark
feature of children with autism, particularly
in areas of shared engagement with peers.
Learning the rules for engagement for
successful interaction with children of their
own age is extremely difficult for children
with autism. "The rules of engagement; of
knowing how to enter a group of children;
how to join in with their activities; and how
to talk to them, are all highly complex,
unwritten, and generally poorly understood"
(Howlin, 1998). PRT is also an intervention
that typically developing children can use to
assist their peers with autism to attend to and
maintain effective social interactions.
Pivotal Response Training (PRT)
involves teaching typical peers to use
strategies to:
· Gain attention
· Give choices to maintain motivation
· Vary toys
· Model social behavior
· Reinforce attempts
· Encourage conversation
· Extend conversation
· Take turns
· Narrate play (Teaching Students with
Autism: A Guide for Educators)
Generalization to new toys and new adults as
well as the maintenance of improved play
behaviors has also been seen in children who
have participated in PRT (Schreibman, Stahmer,
& Pierce, 1996).
For More Information
Please visit one of the following websites:
http://psy.ucsd.edu/~vcestone/PRT2.html
http://www.users.qwest.net/~tbharris/prt.htm
http://www.bbbautism.com/ther_prt.htm
http://www.spectrumcenter.org/autismplanning.
html