Student Research Symposium Program Portal: Submission #96

Abstract The clinical team has observed a deficit in a client's receptive and tacting repertoire during clinical sessions. To address this deficit, the clinicians have opted to introduce a program that expands the clients’ social communicative skills, specifically relating to identifying hurt body parts that can typically only be identified through private events. According to Dixon et al. (2017), a deficit in identifying and describing the emotions of others is a commonly observed characteristic associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Furthermore, it has been stated by Addington et al. (2021) that those with ASD often struggle to communicate private events, leading to caregivers or doctors being incapable of assisting the afflicted individual to the best of their ability. In the procedures, clinicians have split this program into two objectives, objective one being tacting injured body parts on a visual board and objective two tacting hurt body parts on himself. If the client independently engages in the targeted response, high-magnitude social praise and longer access to preferred items, activities, or edibles will be given to the client. If the client does not independently engage in the targeted response, low-magnitude social praise and shorter access to preferred items, activities, or edibles will be given to the client. Upon demonstrated mastery of the Identifying Hurt Body Parts program, the client will be able to identify hurt body parts on others and themselves independently. This program targets the client's more advanced social communication skills, particularly identifying and communicating private events.