Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT) in Early Intervention
Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT) is a focused, play-based Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (NDBI) that teaches young children to imitate spontaneously during natural, back-and-forth social interactions. This session situates RIT within evidence-based practice and the NDBI framework, then walks through its core components — contingent imitation, linguistic mapping, and an embedded model-prompt-praise teaching sequence — using video demonstrations of the techniques in action. Participants will learn how to sequence imitation targets to a child's developmental play level, prepare and run a session, measure implementation fidelity, and collect meaningful data. Drawing on the primary research base, the training also examines RIT's outcomes and limitations and how parents, siblings, and behavior technicians can implement it with coaching. Designed for BCBAs, behavior technicians, educators, and caregivers working in early intervention.
Speaker Name
Jessica Osos, PhD, BCBA-D
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
Describe the core components of Reciprocal Imitation Training — contingent imitation, linguistic mapping, and the embedded model → prompt → praise sequence — and explain how each targets the social, spontaneous use of imitation.
Identify at least three empirically supported outcomes of RIT and state the approximate intervention dose associated with meaningful gains, based on the current research base.
Apply RIT procedures to a clinical scenario by selecting developmentally appropriate imitation targets, outlining the model-prompt-praise sequence, and specifying the fidelity components and data to be collected.