Incidental Teaching and Autism Ranking:

Current Research

We have identified 16 scientific studies of incidental teaching as an intervention for autistic people in peer-reviewed journals published in English.

These trials included more than 60 individuals aged from pre-school children to adults. These individuals included people with autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder - not otherwise specified.

The majority of studies reported positive results. For example,

• Some of the studies  (McGee and Daly, 2007) reported increased use of appropriate social phrases in some participants
• Some of the studies (Farmer-Dougan, 1994) reported increased requesting and overall verbalizations in some participants.
• Some of the studies (Carr  and Kologinsky, 1983) reported increased use of sign language to make spontaneous requests in some participants.

Some of the studies compared incidental teaching with discrete trial training but reported differing results.  For example

• Kok, Kong and Bernard-Opitz, 2002 reported that discrete trial training was more effective whereas Miranda-Linné  and Melin, 1992 reported that incidental teaching was more effective.

A minority of studies reported limited or mixed results.  For example

• Hsieh, Wilder and Abellon, 2011 reported that despite the improvement in care-giver performance, the performances of two of the three children involved did not improve substantially.

Updated

17 Jun 2022

Last Review

20 Jul 2016

Next Review

01 Apr 2023