REFINING THE CONCEPT OF THE JOINT ACTIVITY ROUTINE IN ESDM

Abstract

The article addresses the absence of an operationalized definition of the joint activity routine as an analytic unit within the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), a naturalistic developmental-behavioral early intervention approach for children with autism spectrum disorder. Although ESDM materials describe the routine as a four-phase structure – opening, theme, elaboration, and closing – the concept lacks formalized identification and measurement criteria, limiting its use in research designs and standardized assessment. The purpose of the article is to refine the operational definition of the joint activity routine within ESDM. The study employed theoretical analysis, comparison, generalization, and modeling, drawing on official ESDM materials, applied behavior analysis literature, including described by Baum W. three laws of behavior – allocation, induction, and covariance – and current Ukrainian and international research on support for children with autism spectrum disorder. Building on a molar approach to behavior, the routine is defined as a repeated, temporally stable interaction pattern in which participants’ behavior is embedded in systematic contingent relations and acquires the function of contextual stimulus control over subsequent partner actions. The components “theme” and “elaboration” are operationalized through stimulus control and response topography. A set of quantitative indicators is proposed, including initiation and response frequency, the ratio of initiations between participants, the proportion of elaborations relative to theme repetitions, and binary choice indicators, based on counting discrete events rather than video recording or frame-by-frame timing, increasing the approach’s applicability for research and practice alike. Limitations and directions for future research are outlined.