A Direct Prompting Strategy for Increasing Reciprocal Interactions Between Handicapped and Nonhandicapped Siblings

We investigated the effects of a sibling training procedure, consisting of direct prompting and modeling, on the occurrence of reciprocal interactions between nonhandicapped and handicapped siblings. Data were obtained for training, generalization, and follow-up. Results of a multiple-baseline design across three pairs of siblings showed that: direct prompting of interactions was an effective strategy for increasing reciprocal interactions between handicapped and nonhandicapped siblings; the training procedure resulted in increased levels of initiations and responsiveness to initiations; reciprocal interactions between siblings generalized to larger play groups or across settings; reciprocal interactions between handicapped subjects and untrained, nonhandicapped peers increased without direct training; the siblings' levels of interactions were maintained at 6 mo follow-up; and these findings were judged socially valid by the siblings' parents.