Evaluation of the Effects of the Picture Exchange Communication System™ Protocol on Problematic Behavior across the School Day

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) helps build a functional communicative repertoire, including requesting, thus acquisition of picture exchange may result in reductions in operationally defined problematic behavior if the requests act as a replacement behavior. Current research provides inconclusive data regarding the impact of acquisition of picture exchange on problem behavior. In addition, these studies collected behavior data for only 5–15 min sessions during or after PECS training. We taught four preschool students with autism to communicate with picture exchange using the PECS Phase I-IIIB protocol and collected data on their problem behavior across the day for at least 2 days a week for 4 months. The results suggest that the acquisition of picture exchange through Phase IIIB did not consistently diminish problem behavior for our participants. We discuss these results in relation to spontaneous picture exchange use.