ties and about 50% score below 50 on the IQ scale. When there are profound cognitive impairments, adequate speech development is not likely, and additionally the incidence of aberrant behavior increases (Howlin, 1996). Aberrant behaviors are behavioral excesses that interfere with interaction opportunities within an individuals environment (Matson, et al., 1996). Another high impacting area of deficiency is socialization skills. This area includes decreased responding to verbal initiations of others, inappropriate affect or facial expression during communicative interactions, eye contact and preservation on the same topic even when cues are given by the partner for a topic shift (Koegel, & Frea, 1993). Social skill impairment has some relation to the language impairment. Expressive and receptive language difficulties occur in a high percentage of autistic individuals. Difficulties in expressing thoughts and ideas can lead to outbursts of anxiety, aggression, and self-injurious behavior in those with low ability and therefore it is often incorporated into treatment approaches for several areas (Howlin, 1998).Treatment techniques vary widely depending on the target behavior and desired outcome. In dealing with aberrant behavior, if the behavior is extreme and destructive, then a quick end to the behavior is desired. It has been found that aversive procedures in which punishment was administered contingent on emission of the target behavior rapidly decrease aberrant behaviors. This has been criticized as unethical. Critics have tested the effectiveness of nonaversive procedures and found them to be as effective in non-life-threatening behaviors (Matson, et al., 1996). One such effective method is that of noncontingent access to preferred stimuli. In one study researchers found that presenting an autistic individual with multiple predetermined sets of preferred stimuli or rotating the sets decreased the occurrence of self-injur...
