Intensive interaction explained

Intensive Interaction is an approach for supporting the social inclusion and social communication skill development of people with learning difficulties and/or autism,^[1] and other groups of people who have difficulty with social engagement https://web.archive.org/web/20100420183337/http://www.leedspft.nhs.uk/our_services/ld/intensiveinteraction.^[2]

The approach focuses on the active development of the 'fundamentals of communication', these being the foundational communication concepts and abilities that precede speech development.^[3]

History

Intensive Interaction was developed by teachers Dave Hewett^[4] and Melanie Nind^[5] at Harperbury Hospital School in Southern England during the 1980s.^{[6] [7]} The development of the approach came about as a result of practitioners exploring teaching approaches that moved away from the then current dominance of behavioural psychology.^[8]

How to do Intensive Interaction

According to Nind (1996), there are 5 central features of Intensive Interaction:^[9]

1. The creation of mutual pleasure and interactive games between the practitioner and the recipient person.
2. Practitioner adjustment of their interpersonal behaviours in order to become more engaging and meaningful for the person.
3. Interactions flowing in time: with pauses, repetitions and blended rhythms.
4. The use of intentionality: responding to the person's behaviours as if they had communicative significance.
5. The use of contingent responding: following the person's lead and sharing control of the social interactivity.

Generally, the responsive and learner-led techniques of Intensive Interaction are informed by an understanding of how infants are supported in their learning of the highly complex and interrelated skills of human social communication. In such parent-infant interactions, infants gradually accrue an understanding of the basic principles and practices of human social communication by taking part in many responsive, cumulative interactions with the adults around them. Thus the learning develops through repeated, highly responsive, rather than directive engagements.^{[10] [11]}

'The Fundamentals of Communication'

The use of Intensive Interaction supports a person with social communication difficulties or differences to develop the understanding and use of "the fundamentals of communication". These "fundamentals of communication" are typically referred to as being attainments such as:^[12]

• developing the ability to attend to another person
• learning to do sequences of activity with that person, or taking turns in exchanges of behaviour
• sharing personal space
• using and understanding eye contacts and facial expressions
• using and understanding physical contacts
• using vocalisations with meaning (for some, including speech development)
• enjoying being with another person

Further reading

• Barber, M. & Firth, G. (2019) 'Delivering Intensive Interaction Across Settings: Practice, Community and Leadership', KDP, Melbourne.
• Firth, G., Berry, R. & Irvine, C. (2010) 'Understanding Intensive Interaction: Context and Concepts for Professionals and Families'. London: JKP.
• Hewett, D. (Ed) (2011) 'Intensive Interaction - Theoretical Perspectives'. London: Sage Publications.
• Hewett, D., Firth, G., Barber, M. & Harrison, T. (2012) 'The Intensive Interaction Handbook'. London: Sage Publications.
• Hewett, D. & Nind, M. (Eds) (1998) 'Interaction in Action: Reflections on the Use of Intensive Interaction'. London: David Fulton.
• Kellett, M. & Nind, M. (2003) 'Implementing Intensive Interaction in Schools: Guidance for Practitioners, Managers & Coordinators'. London: David Fulton.
• Mourière, A. & McKim, J. (Eds) (2018) 'Integrating Intensive Interaction: developing communication with children and adults with Severe Learning Difficulties, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties and Autism'.  London: Routledge.
• Mourière, A. & Smith, P. (Eds) (2022) 'The Intensive Interaction Classroom Guide: Social Communication Learning and Curriculum for Children with Autism, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties, or Communication Difficulties'. London: Routledge.
• Nind, M. & Hewett, D. (1994) 'Access to Communication: Developing the basics of communication with people with severe learning difficulties through Intensive Interaction'. London: David Fulton.

External links

• Intensive Interaction Institute, an organization for the advancement of Intensive Interaction

Notes and References

1. Papadopoulos . Angelos . Vogindroukas . Ioannis . Tsapara . Angeliki . Voniati . Louiza . Tafiadis . Dionysios . Plotas . Panagiotis . 2023-12-11 . Intensive Interaction as an intervention approach in children with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review . Neuroscience Research Notes . en . 6 . 4 . 276.1–276.9 . 10.31117/neuroscirn.v6i4.276 . 2576-828X. free .
2. Web site: Intensive Interaction . 2024-06-11 . Sense . en-GB.
3. Web site: History. 2020-12-09. Intensive Interaction Institute. en-GB.
4. Web site: About Dave Hewett . 2024-05-09 . davehewett.com.
5. Web site: The Open University . 2024-05-09 . www5.open.ac.uk . en.
6. Intensive Interaction Early Development Interview with Dave Hewett . en . 2024-05-09 . www.youtube.com.
7. Web site: Introducing intensive interaction The Psychologist. 2020-12-09. thepsychologist.bps.org.uk.
8. Web site: Introducing intensive interaction . 2024-05-09 . BPS . en.
9. Nind . M. . March 1996 . Efficacy of Intensive Interaction: developing sociability and communication in people with severe and complex learning difficulties using an approach based on caregiver-infant interaction . European Journal of Special Needs Education . en . 11 . 1 . 48–66 . 10.1080/0885625960110104 . 0885-6257.
10. An-Introduction-to-Intensive-Interaction-2019.pdf (leedsandyorkpft.nhs.uk)
11. Web site: Intensive interaction . 2024-05-09 . Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust oxfordhealth.nhs.uk . en.
12. Intensive Interaction Outcomes: the Fundamentals of Communication . en . 2024-05-09 . www.youtube.com.