Effects of Video Modeling with Video Feedback on Vocational Skills of Adults with Autism

English, D. L., Gounden, S., Dagher, R. E., Chan, S. F., Furlonger, B. E., Anderson, A., & Moore, D.W. (2017). Effects of video modeling with video feedback on vocational skills of adults with autism spectrum disorder. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 20(8), 511-524. https://doi.org/10.1080/17518423.2017.1282051.

Reviewed by:
Laura Peterson, EdM, BCBA and Robert H. LaRue, PhD, BCBA-D
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Why research this topic?

Research Synopses: Adults with Autism Many high functioning adolescents and adults with ASD have difficulty maintaining employment. Adults with ASD often struggle with a number of factors affecting employment outcomes, such as remaining on-task and maintaining acceptable levels of productivity levels, social engagement, and behavioral flexibility. Individuals with autism may also struggle with conventional forms of workplace training (i.e., following complex verbal instructions and imitating live, in situ demonstrations). There is limited research on identifying effective instructional models for vocational interventions for adults with ASD. An emerging area of study involves the use video-based intervention procedures, including video modeling (VM), video prompting (VP), and video feedback (VFB) to teach vocational skills to adults. The purpose of the current investigation was to evaluate the effectiveness of VM, VP, and VFB to teach gardening tasks to individuals with autism.

What did the researchers do?

This study included three male adults (aged 18, 23, and 23) diagnosed with ASD, who were undergoing job training to acquire gardening skills. These participants had age-appropriate living skills, were motivated to work and had the ability to stay on task. Gardening skills targeted in this study included: weeding, picking, planting, quality control, bed marking, hoeing and labeling.
The authors used a multiple probe design to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention packages. The participants underwent a training program three times a week for ten weeks, for three hours a day. During baseline, the participants were asked to complete gardening skills prior to any targeted instruction. Following baseline, two intervention packages were evaluated: video modeling with video feedback (VM with VFB) and video prompting with video feedback (VP with VFB). During the VM with VFB intervention, participants would watch point-of-view video model of someone demonstrating a gardening skill with verbal feedback from the perspective of the implementer. In VP with VFB conditions, the video clips from the VM conditions were edited to show a single step of the gardening task. Videos clips were presented on iPads and iPods. Once the skill was completed, the participant and the researcher watched the recording together and the participant was provided with feedback. The participant was then asked to perform the skill again for a longer period of time to better approximate real-world demands.

What did the researchers find?

Researchers found that the VM with VFB intervention was effective for the acquisition and maintenance of gardening skills for two of the three participants. For the third participant, VM with VFB alone was insufficient. When VP with VFB was introduced, the third participant was able to acquire the three targeted gardening skills. Researchers found that skill performance generalized across personnel and settings for two of the participants, but it was not assessed for the third. In addition, skill performance maintained at follow-up for up to six weeks for all three participants. Social validity data were collected on the significance of goals, appropriateness of the procedures and the importance of the effects. Participants, parents, and co-workers all rated the intervention positively.

What are the strengths and limitations of the study?

This study provided a clear demonstration of the effectiveness of video-based instruction (video modeling, prompting and feedback) for teaching vocational skills to adults with autism. The use of technology also allowed for participants to work more independently with less staff support. There are some limitations in the current investigation. As per the employer’s policy, the participants were hired regardless of their disability, which led to a lack of knowledge of the participants’ potential support needs (e.g., how much time the participants would need in their current intervention, the amount of time they were able to stay on task prior to intervention, their ability to physically execute specific tasks). Another potential limitation was the fact that it was difficult to monitor the accuracy and consistency of the feedback provided.

What do the results mean?

Overall, the researchers found that video modeling with video feedback was an effective strategy for teaching vocational tasks to adults with ASD. In addition, the authors noted that video prompting with feedback was a useful variant that allowed the third participant, who had not responded with VM with VFB, to acquire the vocational gardening skills. As vocational outcomes for this population tend to be poor, the successful use of video-based intervention to teach these skills represents an exciting area of research that warrants broader investigation.

Citation for this article:

Peterson, L., & LaRue, R. H. (2022). Research synopsis: Effects of video modeling with video feedback on vocational skills of adults with autism spectrum disorder. Science in Autism Treatment, 19(1).

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Effects of Video Modeling with Video Feedback on Vocational Skills of Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder