How to Use DTT to Treat Autism
Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT) is the best-known method of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which is one of the most established ways to treat autism. Therapists use DTT to teach behaviors to autistic children by breaking down tasks into small pieces and using a system of repetition, positive reinforcement and prompting. Read on to learn more about how to use DTT to treat autism.
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Instructions
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Use DTT to Teach Appropriate Responses
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Choose a task, and then break it down into its most basic steps.
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Establish a structured routine for each drill so there is a clear beginning, middle and end to each question. Structure helps the student focus on a single task and helps students understand cause and effect.
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Use repetition in your instructions and be clear about the task at hand.
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Give the student two chances to respond. Use positive reinforcement to reward a correct response.
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Gently prompt the student by indicating the correct response if both responses were incorrect. For example, if the instruction was to turn the page of a book, place the student's hand on the page and help him or her turn it.
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Move on to the next sub-step of the task once the student has correctly responded several times. Repeat the drill until all of the sub-steps of the overall task have been completed.
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Use DTT in conjunction with other ABA methods, such as incidental teaching, which teaches cause and effect responses through everyday situations. Pivotal Response Training (PRT) is an ABA child-directed method that helps students apply what they've learned in therapy to day-to-day life. Other ABA methods include fluency building and verbal behavior.
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Monitor the success of DTT treatments with yearly independent evaluations, which can test your child's strengths and weaknesses. Testing can help you establish annual goals for your child and measure the effectiveness of your current program.
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Tips & Warnings
Use a one-on-one approach in a quiet room with no distractions when using DTT to treat autism.
Find an ABA Therapist in your area by visiting ABAconnections.com (see Resources below).
Read more about using DTT and ABA to treat autism by reading "Teaching Developmentally Disabled Children: The Me Book" available on Amazon, or visit the Lovaas Institute website (see Resources below).
Know that DTT instruction can require a time commitment of 40 hours per week.
