A L Schuler | PubMed Health

PubMed1979

Echolalia: issues and clinical applications.

Echolalic behaviors have been reported within the context of various pathologies but have remained poorly defined. Consequently, it is not easy to determine whether and to what extent normal repetition can be separated from pathological echoing. Hence, it is unclear whether the occurrence of echolalic behavior may be useful for differential diagnostic purposes. Also, much room is left for controversies about the clinical management of echolalic behavior. This article reviews the various conditions associated with echolalia and the role of repetitions in normal language behavior. Suggestions are made in terms of the various dimensions along which echolalic behavior should be assessed, as well as of the desirability of particular intervention techniques.

Adult↗

PubMed1979

Modifying echolalic speech in preschool children: training and generalization.

An operant-conditioning technique was used to teach three handicapped children exhibiting echolalia to respond appropriately to a series of questions. The technique included punishment of echolalic responses and reinforcement of appropriate responses that were cued by a tape recording of the appropriate response. Frequencies of correct responses to the questions increased for each child following a within-subject multiple baseline design. Echolalic responding eliminated in response to trained questions. Generalization of training to several functional responses was found in addition to increased spontaneous use of a functional phrase. Generalization of trained responses across settings and stimuli was also suggested. A 12-month follow-up of two of the subjects revealed no increase in echolalic responding and moderate maintenance of the trained responses. The subjects also showed notable response generalization to untrained questions at the time of the follow-up probe.

Autistic Disorder↗