| Sumario: | The scope of this study was direct observation of verbal behaviors of 14 children with autism spectrum disorders at the onset of an early behavioral intervention (EBI) program delivered in a public services agency. Objectives were to (1) describe frequencies of vocal, verbal, and listener behaviors; (2) evaluate the relationship between the behaviors and the children's level of functioning (IQ and severity of autistic symptoms); and (3) describe the types of consequences provided by EBI therapists following the children's behaviors. The descriptive and statistical analysis of the data showed that 3 profiles of children were distinctively different in vocal, verbal, and listener behaviors. The results concerning the consequences contingently delivered by therapists to those behaviors show that 65% were followed by positive attention, 5% by negative attention, and 30% by no attention. Results led to recommendations for planning EBI programs, where therapists are not formally trained in verbal behavior analysis.
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