{"id":{"repo_id":"columbia-diss","oai_identifier":"oai:academiccommons.columbia.edu:10.7916/D8R217D6"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/columbia-diss/oai:academiccommons.columbia.edu:10.7916/D8R217D6","repository":{"repo_id":"columbia-diss","name":"Columbia University","base_url":"https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/oai"},"display":{"title":"The Effects of Mirror Instruction on the Emergence of Generalized Imitation of Physical Movements in 3-4 Years Olds with Autism","abstract":"I tested the effects of teaching imitation using a mirror on the emergence of generalized imitation (GI) of physical movements by children with autism. I first tested if 128 adults, from 19 to 56 years old, emitted mirrored or non-mirrored responses in GI, because this had been a point of theoretical debate and little data were available. I found that typical adults emitted both mirrored and non-mirrored responses during the GI probe. Accordingly, topographically correct non-mirrored or mirrored responses were considered correct for Experiment Two. In the second experiment, using a combined experimental-control group design with a \"nested\" non-concurrent multiple probe design across participants, I compared a mirror-trained group (3 children, ages 3 to 4 years olds) and a non-mirror (face-to-face) trained group (3 children, ages 3 to 4 years olds), controlling for the amount of instruction and maturation. The dependent variable was the numbers of correct untaught imitative responses during face-to-face pre and post intervention probe sessions, and the independent variable was the mirror training. The results show that the mirror instruction facilitated in the emergence of GI in all 3 children with autism in the mirror-trained group: their controls that received the same amount of instruction face-to -face did not. I concluded that mirror training resulted in reinforcement of the duplication production and non-mirror training reinforced individual movements.","abstract_html":"I tested the effects of teaching imitation using a mirror on the emergence of generalized imitation (GI) of physical movements by children with autism. I first tested if 128 adults, from 19 to 56 years old, emitted mirrored or non-mirrored responses in GI, because this had been a point of theoretical debate and little data were available. I found that typical adults emitted both mirrored and non-mirrored responses during the GI probe. Accordingly, topographically correct non-mirrored or mirrored responses were considered correct for Experiment Two. In the second experiment, using a combined experimental-control group design with a "nested" non-concurrent multiple probe design across participants, I compared a mirror-trained group (3 children, ages 3 to 4 years olds) and a non-mirror (face-to-face) trained group (3 children, ages 3 to 4 years olds), controlling for the amount of instruction and maturation. The dependent variable was the numbers of correct untaught imitative responses during face-to-face pre and post intervention probe sessions, and the independent variable was the mirror training. The results show that the mirror instruction facilitated in the emergence of GI in all 3 children with autism in the mirror-trained group: their controls that received the same amount of instruction face-to -face did not. I concluded that mirror training resulted in reinforcement of the duplication production and non-mirror training reinforced individual movements.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Du, Lin"],"institution":null,"degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011","date_published":"2011","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:44:14Z","subjects":["Special education","Autism in children","Children with disabilities--Education (Preschool)","Imitation in children"],"languages":["English"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://doi.org/10.7916/D8R217D6","outbound_label":"DOI","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Du, Lin"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2011"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Theses"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Special education","Autism in children","Children with disabilities--Education (Preschool)","Imitation in children"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://doi.org/10.7916/D8R217D6"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["I tested the effects of teaching imitation using a mirror on the emergence of generalized imitation (GI) of physical movements by children with autism. I first tested if 128 adults, from 19 to 56 years old, emitted mirrored or non-mirrored responses in GI, because this had been a point of theoretical debate and little data were available. I found that typical adults emitted both mirrored and non-mirrored responses during the GI probe. Accordingly, topographically correct non-mirrored or mirrored responses were considered correct for Experiment Two. In the second experiment, using a combined experimental-control group design with a \"nested\" non-concurrent multiple probe design across participants, I compared a mirror-trained group (3 children, ages 3 to 4 years olds) and a non-mirror (face-to-face) trained group (3 children, ages 3 to 4 years olds), controlling for the amount of instruction and maturation. The dependent variable was the numbers of correct untaught imitative responses during face-to-face pre and post intervention probe sessions, and the independent variable was the mirror training. The results show that the mirror instruction facilitated in the emergence of GI in all 3 children with autism in the mirror-trained group: their controls that received the same amount of instruction face-to -face did not. I concluded that mirror training resulted in reinforcement of the duplication production and non-mirror training reinforced individual movements."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Effects of Mirror Instruction on the Emergence of Generalized Imitation of Physical Movements in 3-4 Years Olds with Autism"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Du, Lin"],"dc:date":["2011"],"dc:description":["I tested the effects of teaching imitation using a mirror on the emergence of generalized imitation (GI) of physical movements by children with autism. I first tested if 128 adults, from 19 to 56 years old, emitted mirrored or non-mirrored responses in GI, because this had been a point of theoretical debate and little data were available. I found that typical adults emitted both mirrored and non-mirrored responses during the GI probe. Accordingly, topographically correct non-mirrored or mirrored responses were considered correct for Experiment Two. In the second experiment, using a combined experimental-control group design with a \"nested\" non-concurrent multiple probe design across participants, I compared a mirror-trained group (3 children, ages 3 to 4 years olds) and a non-mirror (face-to-face) trained group (3 children, ages 3 to 4 years olds), controlling for the amount of instruction and maturation. The dependent variable was the numbers of correct untaught imitative responses during face-to-face pre and post intervention probe sessions, and the independent variable was the mirror training. The results show that the mirror instruction facilitated in the emergence of GI in all 3 children with autism in the mirror-trained group: their controls that received the same amount of instruction face-to -face did not. I concluded that mirror training resulted in reinforcement of the duplication production and non-mirror training reinforced individual movements."],"dc:identifier":["https://doi.org/10.7916/D8R217D6"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:subject":["Special education","Autism in children","Children with disabilities--Education (Preschool)","Imitation in children"],"dc:title":["The Effects of Mirror Instruction on the Emergence of Generalized Imitation of Physical Movements in 3-4 Years Olds with Autism"],"dc:type":["Theses"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:44:14Z"}