Comparing variations of the behavior chain interruption strategy on mand acquisition

The present study compared two variations of the behavior chain interruption strategy (BCIS) on mand acquisition with four children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Variations included only withholding a required item within an activity (BCIS only condition) and withholding a required item while also having an adult complete the activity alongside the participant (BCIS with therapist modeling condition). An adapted alternating treatment design (AATD) was used to compare the two variations. Results indicate minimal differences between the two conditions regarding efficiency of mand acquisition, generalization across novel conditions, and transfer of control from mands to tacts. Limitations and areas for future research are also discussed.