For children with developmental or language delays, mand interventions have been identified as an integral part of educational programming (e.g., Greer & Ross, 2008; Shafer, 1994; Sundberg & Michael, 2001). Mands, which are the most elementary forms of verbal behavior, allow individuals to begin to contact social contractual contingencies; thus, making it an important prerequisite in the development of verbal behavior, communication, and social skills. In Study 1, the experimenter conducted a systematic review of mand interventions that target the increase of vocal mands in the literature. The review discusses the specific interventions employed, the general characteristics of the studies reported, and the specific and collateral effects of each intervention. The results and possible future directions were discussed in terms of the current literature. In Study 2 (published as Naresh, Short, & Fienup, 2020), the experimenters examined the effects of the Speaker Immersion Procedure (SIP) on the emission of vocal verbal operants across settings for 3 preschoolers. The procedure involved providing participants with 100 opportunities to mand by either contriving or using naturally occurring establishing operations (EOs) across the school day. Results indicated that the implementation of the SIP led to increases in the emission of target mands in the presence of specific contrived EOs and increases in the emission of vocal verbal operants (i.e., mands and tacts) in non-instructional settings (NIS). Study 3 extended the findings of Study 2 wherein the effects of different levels of the SIP on the emission of vocal verbal operants across settings and the emission of peer observing responses were studied. Using a nonconcurrent multiple probe design, the experimenters provided 6 participants (i.e., 3 dyads) with either 100 or 50 opportunities to mand. The differential effects of each SIP procedure were studied in terms of the number or mands emitted in the presence of specific contrived EOs, the number of vocal verbal operants (i.e., mands, tacts, sequelics, and conversational units) emitted in NIS towards adults and peers, and the number of peer observing responses emitted during free play.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Psychology / Master / Master of Philosophy

Abstract not available

Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2003. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 139-159). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pNQ99187

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-93). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

The study examined the existence of (dis)similarities between subgroups of learning disabled children who had language-based learning disorders and those who did not exhibit specific language-based disabilities, and what related symptomatology characterized these children. The present study extends the previous literature by utilizing a multidimensional approach to the identification of language-based learning disordered children. The subjects used in this study were a group of 46 children between the ages of 6 and 14 years old referred to a major medical center for psychoeducational evaluation due to reported learning and/or behavioral difficulties. The subjects were separated into two groups according to the nature of the initial referral. Initial comparisons of the two groups were conducted by examining differences in cognitive, achievement, language, and behavioral functional as measured by standardized psychometric instruments. Significant differences were found between the two groups on several variables. Subtyping of the sample was accomplished using Ward's Method of cluster analysis. Fourteen cluster variables were chosen for analysis. These included (a) WISC-R Verbal IQ, (b) WISC-R Performance IQ, (c) PPVT, (d) VMI, (e) Reading, Spelling, and Arithmetic subtests of the WRAT-R, (f) the five language composites of the TOLD, and (g) the Parent and Teacher versions of the Conner's Abbreviated Questionnaire. Two separate cluster analyses, one with and one without behavioral data were calculated. Results of the second cluster analysis were similar to the first. To validate the obtained cluster solutions, Multivariate Analysis of Variance was used to examine whether the clusters differed significantly on a linear composite of cognitive, achievement, language, and behavioral instruments. The expected subgroupings of language-disordered children did not appear. Several theoretical explanations for these findings are discussed and implications for future research are offered. / Department of Educational Psychology

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2004. / Advisor: Dr. Howard Goldstein, Florida State University, College of Communication, Dept. of Communication Disorders. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Jan. 13, 2005). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1952. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-126).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 126-138). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Nevada, Reno, 2008. / "December, 2008." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-81). Online version available on the World Wide Web.