The Effect of the Picture Exchange Communication System on Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Year 2024, Erken Görünüm, 1 - 17

Aslı Kanadlı , Derya Genç Tosun

https://doi.org/10.21565/ozelegitimdergisi.1411435

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) protocol in teaching individuals with moderate/severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD) the ability to initiate spontaneous communication and request food.
Method: In the study, a single-subject research model, multiple probe design with across-participant was used. The participants of the study were three boys diagnosed with moderate/severe ASD attending a special education practice school. The independent variable of the study was the first three phases of the PECS protocol, and the dependent variable was the child's ability to initiate spontaneous communication and request food. The study included baseline, intervention, generalization and follow-up sessions.
Results: The first three phases of the PECS protocol were found to be effective in children with moderate/severe ASD in learning the skill of requesting food. The children were able to maintain the food-requesting skill they learned one and three weeks after the last intervention session and were able to generalize this skill to different environments and people. Teachers who participated in the study as communication partners expressed positive opinions about the study.
Discussion: The effectiveness findings of the study are consistent with other studies in the literature that examined the effect of PECS on the acquisition of requesting skills by individuals with ASD. The findings were discussed in comparison with the related literature and suggestions were made for future research and practice.

Keywords

Requesting, augmentative and alternative communication, autism spectrum disorder, picture exchange communication system (PECS), initiation of communication

Otizm Spektrum Bozukluğu Olan Bireylerde Resim Değiş Tokuşuna Dayalı İletişim Sisteminin Etkisi

Abstract

Giriş: Bu araştırmanın amacı, orta/ağır düzeyde otizm spektrum bozukluğu (OSB) olan bireylere kendiliğinden iletişim başlatıp yiyecek talep etme becerisinin öğretiminde kullanılan resim değiş tokuşuna dayalı iletişim sistemi (Picture exchange communication system [PECS]) protokolünün etkisini incelemektir.
Yöntem: Araştırmada tek-denekli araştırma modellerinden katılımcılar arası yoklama denemeli çoklu yoklama deseni kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın katılımcıları bir özel eğitim uygulama okuluna devam eden orta/ağır düzey OSB tanılı üç erkek çocuktur. Araştırmanın bağımsız değişkeni PECS protokolünün ilk üç evresi, bağımlı değişkeni ise çocuğun kendiliğinden iletişim başlatıp yiyecek talep etme becerisidir. Araştırmada başlama düzeyi, uygulama, genelleme ve izleme oturumları yer almıştır.
Bulgular: PECS protokolünün ilk üç evresi orta/ağır düzeyde OSB olan çocukların yiyecek talep etme becerisini öğrenmesinde etkili bulunmuştur. Çocuklar öğrendikleri yiyecek talep etme becerisini öğretim tamamlandıktan bir ve üç hafta sonra koruyabilmiş ve bu beceriyi farklı ortam ve kişilere genelleyebilmişlerdir. Araştırmaya iletişim ortağı olarak katılan öğretmenler ise araştırmaya ilişkin olumlu görüşler belirtmiştir.
Tartışma: Araştırmanın etkililik bulguları, alanyazında yer alan OSB olan bireylerin talep etme becerisi kazanmasında PECS’in etkisini inceleyen diğer çalışmalarla tutarlılık göstermektedir. Bulgular ilgili alanyazın ile karşılaştırarak tartışılmış ve ileriki araştırmalar ve uygulamaya yönelik önerilerde bulunulmuştur.

Keywords

Talep Etme, alternatif ve destekleyici iletişim, otizm spektrum bozukluğu, resim değiş tokuşuna dayalı iletişim sistemi (PECS), iletişim başlatma

Ethical Statement

Eskişehir Osmangazi Üniversitesi Sosyal ve Beşeri Bilimler İnsan Araştırmaları Etik Kurulu tarafından 05.04.2023 tarihli ve 2023-05 numaralı toplantıda etik kurul onayı alınmıştır.

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