Start Here

1. Dawson, G., Rogers, S., Munson, J., Smith, M., Winter, J., Greenson, J., Donaldson, A., & Varley, J. (2010). Randomized, controlled trial of an intervention for toddlers with autism: The Early Start Denver Model. Pediatrics, 125(1), e17-e23. doi.org/10.1542/peds.2009-0958
2. Ensor, R., Burnham Riosa, P., & Yu, K. H. X. (2024). Evaluation of a rapport-building intervention for early interventionists working with children on the autism spectrum. Behavioral Interventions, 39(1), e1983. doi.org/10.1002/bin.1983
3. Guinness, K. E., & Feil, E. G. (2025). A digital intervention package to teach rapport-building skills to caregivers of children with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 58(2), 303-318. doi.org/10.1002/jaba.70004
4. Ingersoll, B., & Schreibman, L. (2006). Teaching reciprocal imitation skills to young children with autism using a naturalistic behavioral approach. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 36(4), 487-505. doi.org/10.1007/s10803-006-0089-y
5. Kasari, C., Freeman, S., & Paparella, T. (2006). Joint attention and symbolic play in young children with autism: A randomized controlled intervention study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 47(6), 611-620. doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2005.01567.x
6. Rajaraman, A., Austin, J. L., Gover, H. C., Cammilleri, A. P., Donnelly, D. R., & Hanley, G. P. (2022). Toward trauma-informed applications of behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 55(1), 40-61. doi.org/10.1002/jaba.881
7. Schreibman, L., Dawson, G., Stahmer, A. C., Landa, R., Rogers, S. J., McGee, G. G., Kasari, C., Ingersoll, B., Kaiser, A. P., Bruinsma, Y., McNerney, E., Wetherby, A., & Halladay, A. (2015). Naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions: Empirically validated treatments for autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(8), 2411-2428. doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2407-8
8. Vollmer, T. R., Iwata, B. A., Zarcone, J. R., Smith, R. G., & Mazaleski, J. L. (1993). The role of attention in the treatment of attention-maintained self-injurious behavior: Noncontingent reinforcement and differential reinforcement of other behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 26(1), 9-21. doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1993.26-9

Two parts of Together Time come from clinical experience rather than from a specific study: keeping screens out of the ten minutes, and the choice of fifteen minutes, three times a week, as a length families can realistically keep. The research supports short, frequent, demand-free time together. The exact numbers are a clinical judgment, made so that the routine fits into a real week.

1. Carbone, V. J., Sweeney-Kerwin, E. J., Attanasio, V., & Kasper, T. (2010). Increasing the vocal responses of children with autism and developmental disabilities using manual sign mand training and prompt delay. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 43(4), 705-709. doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2010.43-705
2. Ganz, J. B., Davis, J. L., Lund, E. M., Goodwyn, F. D., & Simpson, R. L. (2012). Meta-analysis of PECS with individuals with ASD: Investigation of targeted versus non-targeted outcomes, participant characteristics, and implementation phase. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 33(2), 406-418. doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2011.09.023
3. Schlosser, R. W., & Wendt, O. (2008). Effects of augmentative and alternative communication intervention on speech production in children with autism: A systematic review. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 17(3), 212-230. doi.org/10.1044/1058-0360(2008/021)
4. Skinner, B. F. (1957). Verbal Behavior. Appleton-Century-Crofts.
5. Steinbrenner, J. R., Hume, K., Odom, S. L., Morin, K. L., Nowell, S. W., Tomaszewski, B., Szendrey, S., McIntyre, N. S., Yücesoy-Özkan, Ş., & Savage, M. N. (2020). Evidence-based practices for children, youth, and young adults with autism. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice Review Team. ncaep.fpg.unc.edu
6. Sundberg, M. L., & Michael, J. (2001). The benefits of Skinner's analysis of verbal behavior for children with autism. Behavior Modification, 25(5), 698-724. doi.org/10.1177/0145445501255003
7. White, E. N., Ayres, K. M., Snyder, S. K., Cagliani, R. R., & Ledford, J. R. (2021). Augmentative and alternative communication and speech production for individuals with ASD: A systematic review. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51(11), 4199-4212. doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-04868-2

1. Carbone, V. J., Sweeney-Kerwin, E. J., Attanasio, V., & Kasper, T. (2010). Increasing the vocal responses of children with autism and developmental disabilities using manual sign mand training and prompt delay. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 43(4), 705-709. doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2010.43-705
2. DeLeon, I. G., & Iwata, B. A. (1996). Evaluation of a multiple-stimulus presentation format for assessing reinforcer preferences. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 29(4), 519-533. doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1996.29-519
3. Fisher, W., Piazza, C. C., Bowman, L. G., Hagopian, L. P., Owens, J. C., & Slevin, I. (1992). A comparison of two approaches for identifying reinforcers for persons with severe and profound disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25(2), 491-498. doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1992.25-491
4. Hall, G., & Sundberg, M. L. (1987). Teaching mands by manipulating conditioned establishing operations. The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 5(1), 41-53. doi.org/10.1007/BF03392819
5. Hart, B., & Risley, T. R. (1975). Incidental teaching of language in the preschool. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 8(4), 411-420. doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1975.8-411
6. Laraway, S., Snycerski, S., Michael, J., & Poling, A. (2003). Motivating operations and terms to describe them: Some further refinements. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36(3), 407-414. doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2003.36-407
7. McGee, G. G., Krantz, P. J., & McClannahan, L. E. (1985). The facilitative effects of incidental teaching on preposition use by autistic children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 18(1), 17-31. doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1985.18-17
8. Michael, J. (1988). Establishing operations and the mand. The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 6(1), 3-9. doi.org/10.1007/BF03392824
9. Rajaraman, A., Austin, J. L., Gover, H. C., Cammilleri, A. P., Donnelly, D. R., & Hanley, G. P. (2022). Toward trauma-informed applications of behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 55(1), 40-61. doi.org/10.1002/jaba.881
10. Skinner, B. F. (1957). Verbal Behavior. Appleton-Century-Crofts.
11. Steinbrenner, J. R., Hume, K., Odom, S. L., Morin, K. L., Nowell, S. W., Tomaszewski, B., Szendrey, S., McIntyre, N. S., Yücesoy-Özkan, Ş., & Savage, M. N. (2020). Evidence-based practices for children, youth, and young adults with autism. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice Review Team. ncaep.fpg.unc.edu
12. Stokes, T. F., & Baer, D. M. (1977). An implicit technology of generalization. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 10(2), 349-367. doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1977.10-349
13. Sundberg, M. L., & Michael, J. (2001). The benefits of Skinner's analysis of verbal behavior for children with autism. Behavior Modification, 25(5), 698-724. doi.org/10.1177/0145445501255003
14. Vollmer, T. R., & Iwata, B. A. (1991). Establishing operations and reinforcement effects. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 24(2), 279-291. doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1991.24-279