Teaching children with autism to detect and respond to sarcasm.

Abstract: Previous research has demonstrated that children with autism often have difficulty using and understanding non-literal language (e.g., irony, sarcasm, deception, humor, and metaphors). Irony and sarcasm may be especially difficult for children with autism because the meaning of an utterance is the opposite of what is stated. The current study evaluated the effectiveness of a training package, including rules and in vivo multiple exemplar training, to teach three children with autism to detect and respond appropriately to sarcastic statements. The training package was effective and generalization was obtained across novel exemplars, settings, and people. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)