The Effects of Parent-Implemented Reciprocal Imitation Training on Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

A growing body of research indicates imitation is a skill that is significantly impaired in young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Relationships between imitation skills and other social and communication skills, such as joint attention and play, have been discovered, leading early intervention service providers to focus on teaching imitation skills to young children with ASD in order to foster related skill development. Parent-implemented interventions can eliminate or reduce the need for outside service providers, which can reduce costs to families and have been shown to have positive effects on parent mental health. They can also yield similar benefits to therapist-implemented intervention when implemented with a high degree of fidelity. Parent-implemented Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT) has been effective in increasing both object and gestural imitation skills in young children with ASD. This study aimed to replicate those findings. Three young children with ASD were exposed to parent-implemented RIT in two phases targeting object and gestural imitation, and all three increased their rates of both object and gestural imitation during the intervention.