Empowering Children with Autism: Encouraging Verbal Requests Through Manding in ABA Therapy 

Table of contents

As a parent of a child with autism, it can be challenging to know how to best help your child learn and grow. One of the most essential skills your child can learn is how to effectively use verbal requests, otherwise known as “manding.” Manding is an integral component of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy. It allows your child to learn how to communicate their needs and desires clearly and effectively. With the proper guidance and practice, manding can become second nature to your child and help them to better interact with the world around them.  

What is Manding in ABA Therapy? 

Manding, or manding behavior, is a type of verbal behavior used in ABA therapy to help children with autism learn to ask for the things they need or want. It is a type of communication that is often used to teach children to ask for help, items, or information. 

Manding is based on the idea of reinforcement. Reinforcement occurs when an individual receives a reaction or feedback after exhibiting any behavior. Reinforcement can be positive or negative. In ABA therapy, positive reinforcement is used to encourage a desired behavior. For example, when a child successfully asks for something through manding, they are rewarded with the item or information they requested. This reinforces the behavior and encourages them to use manding again. The process starts slowly, and the child may not use verbal mands from the outset. However, receiving praise and encouragement when they express their needs motivates them to persevere. 

The Benefits of Manding in ABA Therapy 

Manding has many benefits for children with autism: 

It is powerful. 

Manding is often the first step in ABA therapy. By teaching children to communicate their needs or wants verbally, they can interact more effectively with others. This can help them to become more independent, confident, and socially engaged. 

It is simple.  

Unlike other types of communication, manding does not require a lot of complex language or explanation. This makes it easier for children to learn and understand. 

A mand is used to communicate a need or desire. For example, a child may learn to request a snack by saying, “I want a snack,” instead of pointing to a snack and making sounds 

It is flexible. 

A mand does not have to be verbal. Nonverbal communication, such as pointing or gesturing, can also communicate a need or want. However, it is essential to remember that verbal communication is more ideal than nonverbal communication. 

It encourages independence.  

By teaching children to ask for things verbally, they can meet their own needs without relying on others. This can reduce frustration and help them to feel more empowered.  

It helps children to develop social skills.  

By asking for help or items verbally, children can interact with others and build relationships. This can help them to develop confidence and self-esteem in social situations. 

How Can We Create Opportunities for Manding in Everyday Life? 

Creating opportunities for manding in everyday life is an important part of ABA therapy. Mands can come in many shapes and forms – spoken words, picture exchange, voice output devices, signs, gestures, or even eye gaze! In this article, we will focus on verbal manding and explain how children learn to express verbal requests.   

Training someone to mand consists of three simple steps:  

1. Identify highly desirable items that will excite the individual enough to request them. 

2. Withhold the item and encourage the individual to mand for it. 

3. Reinforce and shape the desired behavior – granting access to the item only if an attempt to mand is made or successful. 

8 Tips for Boosting Verbal Requests in Autism 

Choose Carefully  

This is key to success in manding is to choose highly motivating items that your child really wants. This has been mentioned, but it cannot be overstressed. You can purchase a special toy or go on an outing purely to build the motivation needed to engage your child to mand.  

Model manding 

Modeling manding is a powerful way to teach communication skills. For example, you can demonstrate how to make requests by using simple language and gestures. 

Make it fun  

Making manding fun can help children to stay engaged and motivated. You can do this by playing games that involve making requests or creating stories that involve making requests. 

Start Small 

When teaching manding, start with simple sounds, then move to one-word requests and build up to more complex ones. This will make the process easier for both you and your child. 

Check your Child’s Understanding 

Before you begin teaching manding, make sure your child understands the concept. 

Prompting 

 Prompting is a technique used to help children understand and respond to verbal requests. You can use verbal prompts to help children understand what to do and make requests. 

Make Requests Direct and Clear 

When making requests to your child, they must be direct and straightforward. This means using simple language and keeping your requests short and to the point. In addition, use positive language when making requests. This means avoiding phrases such as “don’t forget” or “you must,” as these can be confusing and lead to frustration. It can also provoke anxiety, which potentially sets them up for failure. 

Be Consistent 

Consistency is important when teaching manding. Make sure to stick to the same routine and use the same words and phrases each time. 

Be Patient  

Teaching manding can be a long and challenging process, so be sure to be patient with your child. It may take time for your child to learn the skill, so be patient and encouraging. 

The Impact of Manding on Children with Autism 

Manding can have a profound impact on children with autism. It can help them become more independent and confident, as they can meet their own needs without relying on others. By learning to communicate their needs or wants verbally more effectively, children are sure to feel less frustrated and more empowered. This can help them to build relationships and engage in social activities. 

How to Monitor and Measure Progress in Manding 

Monitoring and measuring progress in manding is an integral part of ABA therapy.  

Here are some tips for monitoring and measuring progress in manding: 

Set Goals 

Setting goals for manding can help you to track your child’s progress. For example, you can set goals for the number of requests a child can make in a given period or the number of requests they can make correctly. It is very important to set achievable goals so be mindful of your child’s level of ability and get guidance from a qualified BCBA who has either assessed or works with your child.  

Track and Evaluate Progress 

Tracking progress is an essential part of monitoring manding. You can track progress by keeping a log of the requests your child makes and how your child responds to requests made to them. Evaluate your child’s progress by assessing the number of requests they are making, the accuracy of their requests, and the amount of reinforcement used. You can also keep track of how much prompting is needed. Sometimes, you may not realize the progress you have made until you step back and see the big picture. A significant drop in the need for prompting is a huge step toward success. 

Get The Support You Need 

Following manding programs in ABA is a tried-and-true method to teach children with autism how to communicate their wants and needs in a way that is both effective and appropriate. If your child can benefit from learning to mand, and you live in New Jersey or Massachusetts, you can get help from local autism specialists.  We will work 1:1 with your child and we always include parent training in our ABA programs. 

If you want more tips and tricks like this, sign up to receive emails from Circle Care. We send helpful information to parents of children with autism!