Video Modeling for Teaching Communication Skills to Individuals with Autism: Study Review

ABSTRACT People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have specific limitations on communication skills in both receptive and expressive language. Video modeling (VM) is considered an evidence-based practice for individuals with ASD since this population prefers and responds better to teaching strategies through visual cues. In this sense, the objective of this review was to discuss the outcomes of interventions that implemented MV to teach communication skills to individuals with ASD. Thus, three inclusion criteria were established: a) the studies should use the video modeling alone as independent variable, associated with another intervention or as part of a package of treatments; b) communication skills should be part of the dependent variable, even if other skills were present; c) All studies should have participants with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The CAPES Journal Portal was used as the database with specific descriptors in the 2010 to 2016 period. Only 11 studies presented the inclusion criteria determined in this study. These papers emphasized the gains of the person with ASD in their communication skills through VM. Given the positive results reported in these 11 studies, there is sufficient evidence to conclude that VM is an indicated procedure for teaching a variety of communicative skills for children with ASD. It is possible to conclude that this study summarized interventions that used VM for teaching communication skills, indicating directions for future research.