Exploratory Factor Analysis of the VB-MAPP: Support for the Interdependency of Elementary Verbal Operants

• Published in: Journal of behavioral education Vol. 31; no. 3; pp. 503 - 523
• Main Authors: Belisle, Jordan, Dixon, Mark R., Malkin, Albert, Hollie, Joshua, Stanley, Caleb R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-09-2022; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analysis; Autism; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Child and School Psychology; Classification; Exploratory factor analysis; Language Acquisition; Language Skills; Learning and Instruction; Original Paper; Psychology; Research methodology; Statistical analysis; Verbal Ability; Verbal behaviour; Verbal Operant Conditioning; Verbal Stimuli; Verbal behavior; Factor analysis; VB-MAPP exploratory factor analysis of the vb-mapp: support for the interdependency of elementary verbal operants; Interdependency
• ISSN: 1053-0819; 1573-3513
• DOI: 10.1007/s10864-020-09413-2

Competing viewpoints on the independency or interdependency of Skinner’s verbal operants have been discussed in the literature and with empirical support for both positions generated using single-case research methods. Our study provides support for the interdependency of the verbal operants using items contained in the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program as a measure of broader skill acquisition in each verbal operant category and across skill complexity levels. The result of an exploratory factor analysis conducted across 85 participants with autism suggested that items did yield factors consistent with the verbal operants, rather items appeared to cluster in terms of skill complexity producing a best-fit 2 factor model. Together with prior research showing untrained cross-operant transfers, results fail to support Skinner’s verbal behavior taxonomy distinguishing between the verbal operant categories as independent constructs, with implications for how behavior scientists and analysts describe language development and assess and treat language deficits of individuals with autism.