"Video self-modeling or VSM is an instruction method for children with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities. The VSM method is based on years of research by the author and others to show the effectiveness of having a child be his or her own model for positive behaviors. The child is filmed while engaging in the desired behavior or performing a specific task. These videos are played back for the child when he or she is acting inappropriately. The video not only shows the acceptable behavior, but also shows the child that he or she can do it!
Dr. Buggey’s research also showed VSM was a way to help overcome situations when children would successfully complete tasks or use language for a therapist, but would not ‘perform’ for anyone else in any other setting. The use VSM was a way to prompt and reinforce desired behaviors in other settings, such as at home, in school and other places in the community. VSM can also be used to help children learn academic skills, like math and reading.
The goal of this book is to provide a how-to manual for parents, teachers, therapists and others who want to try VSM. There is guidance about use of video cameras and editing. Case studies highlight the use of VSM for teaching a variety of skills and behaviors in different settings."
-Newsline, Fall 2010 (Federation for Children with Special Needs)
"Parents interested in finding ways to help their autistic children acquire new skills or improve existing behaviors might find the concept of video self-modeling (VSM) beneficial. In this concise introduction to VSM, the author explains how watching a video of oneself performing a skill or behavior at one's best helps foster the acquisition and continued practice. This book explores how VSM can improve social skills, math and reading, and other targeted behaviors and offers clear explanations of how to film and edit footage. In addition to step-by-step technical strategies and case study results, Seeing Is Believing shows how VSM can be used alone or in combination with applied behavior analysis."
-Disability Resources Online
"Dr. Tom Buggey, who has been researching and teaching on Video Self-Modeling at Memphis State University for about 15 years, has spent the last 10 years primarily on using VSM with autistic children. Although his research has focused on VSM and he recognizes its limitations, he points out the significance of continuing to use more researched and proven methods of teaching positive behavior and academic changes. In Seeing is Believing, he offers an in-depth yet concise guide for professionals and parents on the use of VSM with children various developmental disabilities in which the child themselves star in the video in order for the child to see themselves modeling a positive behavior or action. Buggey begins by highlighting the research that has been done on self-modeling since the 1970s, and then presents research that have shown substantial improvements over the years using VSM in such different situations as socialization and classroom participation, reading, math or language skills, and even improving one's skill at swimming. One of the significant points he makes is the necessity of knowing when children are ready for VSM--their ability to both recognize themselves in a mirror and attend to a video for short periods. Realizing that many are intimidated by the idea of making videos, he details technical instructions on choosing and using the equipment; he then thoroughly explores choosing a target behavior of the child, creating videos through captured and play-acting scenarios, and editing to create positive VSM events that are then shared with the child, and if appropriate, even incorporated it into the child's IEP. A brief chapter on evaluating the effectiveness of the VSM is followed by several case scenarios of positive VSM situations that cover the entire process from identifying target behaviors to evaluating the results. This is a short book that is easy to read and captivating in its style. While there is some use of more clinical terminology and technical terms, most of the work is written for a parent of an child with a developmental disability who has already done some self-educating about the condition. Any library that includes resources for working with children with developmental disabilities should consider adding this to their collection."
-CAPHIS Consumer Connections
"Video Self Modeling (VSM), a method to develop skills in children with autism, is based on the premise described by Grandin (1996) that individuals with autism think in pictures. They are known to preferentially attend to mechanized depictions of humans while avoiding social communication with live humans. VSM has also been used with individuals with other challenges (developmental disabilities AD/HD).
In VSM, the individual watches videos of one-self to build fluency or proficiency in a skill already learned, or, to learn a new yet developmentally appropriate behavior. By use of judicious editing the individual is shown to efficiently complete the skilled task (e.g., by editing out unsuccessful attempts) or perform the higher level skill (e.g., combining 1 or 2 word utterances to appear as though the individual is using sentences). Frequent observation of such videos is documented to produce gains in varied areas, including, reduction of non-complaint behaviors, and improved motor skills and vocational tasks. VSM provides the individual evidence that they can be successful resulting in increased self-confidence to perform the task and uses a medium that can successfully capture their attention.
The book discusses prerequisite skills needed (self-recognition in a mirror, attention span to watch short video). It describes in detail the process involved from buying the equipment, presenting the completed video, to data collection. Helpful suggestions are given on how to plan a VSM shoot to address behavior. Adequate detail is given to enable a technology novice to successfully edit footage to produce the video. The author presents the limited research done on this topic and cautions that VSM may not work in all instances.
This book describes a promising tool to enhance the learning of individuals with development disabilities. Occupational therapist should definitely explore its use in practice and validate its use with applied research."
-Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, April 2010
"Video is a powerful tool that can teach and educate, and this is especially so for people with autism. Seeing is Believing: Video Self-Modeling for People with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities is a guide to using videotape to teach children with autism. Autistic people can gain much from watching themselves doing many activities, and the amateur video production process is educational in and of itself. Seeing is Believing is a strong choice for any autism education collection."
-The Midwest Book Review
"Video self-modeling has been very effective in helping our daughter with her social interactions at school and on the playground. Dr. Buggey's clear, step-by-step instructions give us the necessary information to be able to use VSM at home to help our daughter in so many other areas."
-Jackie Benkert, mother of Lillian, age 5
"Tom Buggey's passion for his work shows in this book, which will be of much benefit to practitioners and families. His book will do a lot to help the world catch up with a wonderfully positive approach to education, with easy-to-follow procedural descriptions and many interesting examples."
-Peter W. Dowrick, Ph.D., Professor, Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa
"Parents of children with an autism spectrum disorder have been inundated by hype about the causes of autism and treatments that promise miraculous cures. We anticipated that Tom Buggey’s book Seeing Is Believing: Video Self-Modeling for People With Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities would be more hype and contribute to the existing confusion in the field. But his book surprised us. It has a strong theoretical basis, concretely describes interventions for addressing behavioral problems, and is fostering an emerging line of research. The intervention strategy described by Buggey is thought provoking and, although
it is too early to draw any conclusions, is likely to make a meaningful contribution to the field.
Self- and other modeling and observation have long been used to teach and correct
behaviors; Buggey builds on this idea with video self-modeling (VSM). VSM, as described by Buggey, is 'the manipulation of videos so that a person is able to watch himself performing a behavior correctly or at [a slightly more] advanced level' (p. vii). This process is thought to teach desired skills, build self-efficacy, and create positive memories and expectations.
Watching a self-modeling video is similar to visualizing oneself performing a slightly more advanced skill but is a more concrete process. For example, using a video (drawn from either role plays or carefully edited successes), children watch themselves calmly responding to a situation that generally triggers tantrums. Buggey provides figures documenting change from baseline to intervention to follow-up. In many cases the magnitude of this change was
almost miraculous and was maintained at 6-month follow-ups.
Although Buggey presents case studies in which VSM was effective for treating a
variety of problematic behaviors (i.e., disruptive behavior, depressed mood), he focuses on its use with autism and other developmental disorders. Buggey notes that VSM can be very effective in many situations, but he also observes that children must be able to recognize themselves in a mirror and have the ability to attend to a video for at least short periods. Therefore, VSM may be most effective for people with milder forms of autism and may be less effective for children with mental retardation or severe attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD).
VSM’s Strong Foundation
Buggey identifies several factors to explain VSM’s apparent success. First, if the best social models are the ones most similar to the observer (Bandura, 1997), then what better model is there than one’s self? Second, as the most effective models are those whose level of development is only slightly greater than the observer’s own, videos composed of the child’s own best behavior-—sometimes role-played, sometimes skillfully edited—-may be the best way to model and elicit desired behavior. Buggey emphasizes recognizing and using typical developmental patterns so as to not overwhelm children by creating videos that significantly
exceed their current levels of ability (e.g., showing a nonverbal child using full sentences). Third, video-recorded self-modeling eliminates the social obligation that creates anxiety for many children on the autism spectrum; the situation is more controlled and has fewer potentially confusing relationships, thus creating an environment that is more conducive to change. Finally, VSM is 'culturally relevant,' taking advantage of many children’s enjoyment of television as well as the increasing availability of the technology necessary to
make such videos.
To his credit, Buggey does not overstate the effectiveness of VSM and recognizes that more scientific research is needed before VSM can be identified as an empirically validated intervention. He describes the importance of continuing to use proven treatment methods, such as applied behavioral analysis, but also recognizes the continuing need to develop new approaches that may also be of benefit.
Buggey does an exceptional job at providing everything a clinician would need to
know in order to create a self-modeling video. He recognizes that his audience may not be technologically savvy and therefore provides detailed technical instructions and guidance about how to design such a video. He describes ways to choose target behaviors, identify positive alternative behaviors, capture rare behaviors on video, prepare a strength-based video, and give the child access to the video. He thoroughly explains how to film the video, edit it (providing instructions for both a PC and Mac), evaluate it, and interpret changes in
the child’s behavior. He even explains how to tie it to a child’s individualized education plan (IEP).
Continuing Questions
Although Buggey’s approach to VSM has considerable strengths, we have several concerns. First, Buggey emphasizes the technology of creating the video over the thought that we believe is essential to making the VSM process work. Buggey’s thoughts about children with autism are beautiful, and we would love to see more description of how these influence how he designs and develops VSM interventions.
We also appreciate and value single-subject designs, especially with this type of
population, because it avoids the problem of forcing children with diverse needs, symptoms, and levels of functioning into a single research model. However, we are concerned that this use of single-subject designs may cause researchers to overestimate the magnitude of the change that occurs. Borckardt and his colleagues (2008) concluded, 'Even when seasoned judges use visual inspection of single-case data streams, they are prone to overestimate the effect of treatment' (p. 82). Visual inspection alone can cause a high rate of false positives-—between 16 percent and 84 percent (Matyas & Greenwood, 1990)!
These concerns are probably amplified when one considers Buggey’s request to
submit one’s own VSM research to his website. He says that his 'motive is more scientific in nature. I want to add to our knowledge base of VSM and to provide the opportunity for parents and educators to be part of that process' (p. 85). One would surmise that the data that he receives will be overrepresented by positive outcomes and, if he uses them as testimonials, as suggested at the Siskin Children’s Institute (n.d.) website, he is likely to add to the hype to which parents of children with autistic spectrum disorders are exposed. If he
uses them to evaluate the efficacy of VSM, he is likely to have the problem of Type I error (overestimating the probability of positive clinical outcomes), as his 'sample' is very unlikely to be a random and representative sample from the field. On a positive note, however, it would be useful to determine to what degree the findings that Buggey reports are generalizable or limited to his research team and colleagues.
Although Buggey has done an admirable job in beginning to distinguish among
hypotheses explaining when and why children change when exposed to VSM, other
hypotheses should still be explored. Can the observed changes be explained by increased attention or other reinforcements during VSM exposure? To what degree do performing a functional behavioral analysis and developing a strong, positive storyboard and video clarify the teacher’s, parents’, or therapist’s thinking about antecedents and consequences sufficiently to, on its own (without video exposure), change the child’s behavior? How does the behavior of teachers, parents, and therapists change as a result of the VSM intervention? Is this sufficient to explain the changes in the child’s behavior? If the change is due to increasing self-efficacy or helping the child develop better story lines explaining and guiding his or her behavior, does VSM also affect other untargeted behaviors? Is the change due to the intervention or to other environmental factors that happen to be correlated with the intervention (Borckardt et al., 2008)? Why does the change process following introduction of VSM appear to be either instantaneous or absent?
In Seeing Is Believing, Buggey presents exciting and innovative interventions for working with children with autism spectrum disorders. He provides a strong theoretical explanation for why this initially counterintuitive intervention may work and appears to be working to create a strong research base examining when and how VSM may be effective. In a field full of questions and hype, this is an interesting lead full of promise."
-PsycCRITIQUES August 19, 2009, Vol. 54, Release 33, Article 6
(American Psychological Association)
