The effects of reciprocal imitation training on behaviour and brain activity in children with autism

Malik, Supriya (2017). The effects of reciprocal imitation training on behaviour and brain activity in children with autism. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

The work presented in this thesis comprises the execution and evaluation of a pilot quasi- Randomised Controlled Trial of Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT) in an attempt to replicate previously reported effects of RIT on imitation skills in children with autism and an evaluation of the effect of RIT on brain functioning. Children with autism were randomised into two groups, Treatment and Wait-List Control, and were assessed before and after intervention. Behavioural measures of spontaneous and elicited imitation were used to assess change in imitation. Event-Related Potentials (ERP) and Electroencephalography (EEG) techniques were used to index changes in human action processing as well as global social and non-social processing. An increase in spontaneous, social imitation skills was evident in the Treatment group compared with the Wait-List Control group. Also, ERP measures assessing auditory human action processing reflected differences in processing at outcome between the Treatment and Wait-List Control group. However, no effect of RIT was observed on global social or non-social neural processing. Together, these findings make contributions towards evaluating the efficacy of RIT as an early intervention program for children with autism with evidence of an impact on social imitation skills at the behavioural and neural level.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

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