Manding is the foundation of communication in applied behavioral analysis or ABA therapy, widely regarded as the gold standard for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is often one of the first verbal behaviors taught to children and teens with ASD, laying the groundwork for meaningful communication.
Whether your autistic child is undergoing ABA therapy at home or in a classroom, being able to communicate their wants and needs is critical. This ability enables your child to access reinforcement and helps others in their life understand them better. Without manding, a child on the spectrum is more likely to become frustrated, anxious, or even depressed, displaying maladaptive behavior to express a want or need.
If you suspect your infant is exhibiting signs of autism or are seeking ABA therapy for your teen, understanding manding and its potential to improve your child’s life is critical. At Heartlinks, we’re here to help guide you through this journey.
What Is Manding?
A mand is a person’s request. Think about the words comMAND or deMAND; they are verbal indications of a want or a need that a child learns to communicate early in life. The types of mands in ABA can be a single word, a statement, or a question. For instance, a child with autism spectrum disorder may ask for a muffin in several different ways:
- “Muffin” (single word)
- “I want a muffin” (statement)
- “Can I have a muffin?” (question)
The type and complexity of the mand used depend on the child’s communication skills and development level. For children with high-functioning autism, mands might include more complex sentences or even conversation requests. In contrast, children with low-functioning autism may rely on simpler mands, gestures, or alternative communication methods, such as sign language.
Rewards play a crucial role in mand training. When a child successfully makes a mand, they are immediately rewarded with the requested item or activity. This positive reinforcement strengthens their communication ability and motivates them to use mands more consistently.
Tailoring mand training to the child’s abilities ensures that they can effectively express their needs, regardless of their location on the autism spectrum.
Forms of Manding
Manding can take several different forms including the following:
- Vocal: using words or speaking to communicate.
- Gestural: using pointing or reaching gestures for the desired object or person)
- Sign Language: communicating through signed-based hand gestures.
- Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS): using pictures to represent requests.
For instance, a therapist might present a child with two or more items during a preference assessment. If the child points to or reaches for a preferred item, this is an example of gestural manding, with the immediate reinforcement being access to the chosen item.
The popularity of mands is that they directly signify their reinforcer-whether it’s a toy, food, or an activity, the child’s request is met immediately.
Importance of Manding
Manding is a critical skill for children with autism, whether it involves single words, complex sentences, or alternative methods like gestures. Expressing needs effectively can reduce frustration and avoid challenging behavior such as aggression or tantrums. Even nonverbal cues, such as an eye gaze, can serve as a mand.
Categories of Mands
In applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy for autistic children, mands lay the foundation for language development and communication. They can take several forms:
- Item mands: asking for a specific object like a toy, food, or drink.
- Action mands: Asking someone to do something like “play with me” or “go outside.”
- Termination mands: Saying “no” or “stop” to end an undesirable activity.
- Attention mands: Seeking social interaction by saying “Come here” or “Look.”
- Information mands: Asking “w” questions such as what, where, who, which, and how.
By teaching these types of mands, ABA therapy helps children improve their ability to communicate effectively, express their needs, and engage meaningfully with others.
How is Manding Taught?
Teaching manding is a step-by-step process, often part of a larger therapeutic plan for functional communication training. The method is designed to fit the child’s communication capacities, and each training step builds on what the autistic child has previously learned. Mand training aims to connect a want to getting what the child is asking for, particularly for a preferred item.
Identifying The Pre-Requisites for Mand Training
Prior to embarking on mand training, some things should be at the ready to make it work well. Firstly, the child or teen must stay engaged with their therapist. If they have repetitive body movements, such as hand flapping, scratching, or spinning, that will be continuously interrupting the therapist.
Step #1: Sit and Show Give
The first step will be for the therapist to sit directly facing the child in a quiet place free of distractions. The therapist might also prepare an array of desirable rewards, tokens, or preferred items that the child enjoys.
For example, if your child enjoys playing with dollars, the therapist might have a small doll on hand as a reinforcer to teach them how to ask for it nicely. The therapist will use errorless learning techniques, ensuring the child is supported in making the correct response, such as independently showing the action of ‘give’ with their hands stretched out nicely once requested.
Throughout the session, the therapist will monitor the child’s assent to ensure they remain comfortable and willing to participate, adjusting strategies as needed to maintain engagement. If inappropriate behavior arises during the session, the therapist may temporarily apply a mild punishment procedure, like withholding access to the desired item, to discourage unwanted actions. Additionally, the therapist may incorporate social stories to help the child understand expected behaviors and outcomes, fostering a clearer understanding of the interaction. This balance of reinforcement for appropriate behavior and punishment for unwanted ones will help guide the child.
Step #2: Tact an Object when Asked, “What Do You Want?”
It’s crucial to ensure that your autistic child can look at the person giving instructions. If their therapist acts as the instruction giver, they will hold up one or two preferred items and ask your child, “What do you want?”. Using a prompt hierarchy, the therapist might start with a verbal or gestural prompt, then model the word to help your child attempt to say it but at least imitate it. For example, the therapist may ask the child to say “the target word” and wait 3 to 5 seconds for a response.
This process involves shaping, where incremental improvements in the child’s attempts are reinforced to help them gradually master the desired behavior. Afterward, they should provide appropriate feedback based on how the child responded to the question.
Step #3: “I want ——–” (target keyword)
Before starting with this stage, the previous two stages must be mastered. In advanced manding, the therapist has to pick up the item and use it as a discriminative stimulus to signal the child that they’re about to receive the preferred item. At this stage, the therapist may also incorporate elements of tacting, incurring the child to label the item (e.g., repeating its name) and requesting it. Using discrete trial training (DTT) techniques, the therapist can teach the child to say “I want——” (target word) and provide feedback accordingly.
Let Heartlinks Help!
To help children with autism develop critical communication skills like manding, early intervention is critical. Without guidance, some parents might worry that their child’s behaviors will worsen with age.
At Heartlinks, our focus is early intervention and empowering families through parent ABA training to ensure consistent progress at home, school, and in life. We can help children express their needs, reduce frustration, and develop meaningful communication skills by teaching manding. Let Heartlinks guide you in creating a brighter future for your child.