Using a Tag as a Stimulus Prompt to Increase Correct Dressing Orientation

Abstract

Dressing is an important skill for students with developmental disabilities, so they rely less on caregivers and build independence. Research evaluating dressing skills instruction commonly uses some type of graduated guidance to teach the skill. In this study, three students receiving special education services under autism eligibility had already received instruction on dressing skills using graduated guidance. Although this procedure was enough to teach the dressing steps (including putting on the clothing), it was not sufficient in teaching the student to put on the clothing with the correct orientation. Thus, these students walked out of the bathroom wearing clothes that were inside out and/or backward. We placed a 12-cm red stimulus prompt on the target clothing item and evaluated the effects on correct dressing orientation for these three students using a multiple probe design. For all three students, the stimulus prompt increased accuracy, and for two participants, accuracy was maintained. For the two students who maintained the skill, we systematically faded the tag, and they maintained perfect dressing orientation.