Using a Stimulus Pairing Procedure to Shape Stimulus Relations Between Each Prefecture’s Name, Kanji, and Shape and Location: Child With Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

Study objective: Examining effects of a stimulus pairing procedure for shaping stimulus relations between each of the prefecture’s name, kanji, and shape and location, and investigating the social validity of the procedure. Design: ABC design and multiple baseline design, with 4 periods: baseline, first intervention, second intervention, and follow up. Setting: The participant’s grandparents’ house and his mother’s house, alternating weekly. Participant: A 4th-grade elementary school male student, 9 years 11 months old, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Independent variable: A stimulus pairing procedure, using 48 cards (the 47 prefectures plus Tokyo) made by the author. Dependent variable: The number of correct answers on a paper-and-pencil test of the names of prefectures. Results: The participant answered 1–3 prefectures correctly in baseline. The number of correct answers written in hiragana increased immediately in the first intervention. The number of correct answers written in kanji increased in the second intervention. At follow up, correct answers were maintained for over 40 prefectures. Conclusions: In this practical research, stimulus relations between each prefecture’s name, kanji, and shape and location were established. Remaining challenges include refining the procedure.