SCERTS®

(Prizant, Wetherby, Rubin, Rydell & Laurent, 2006)

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The SCERTS® Model is a comprehensive, team-based, multidisciplinary model for enhancing abilities in Social Communication and Emotional Regulation, and implementing Transactional Supports for children and older individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families. SCERTS is not an exclusive approach, in that it provides a framework in which practices and strategies from other approaches may be integrated, such as Positive Behavioral Supports (ABA), visual supports, sensory supports, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and Social Stories®. The SCERTS model can be used with individuals across a wide range of ages and developmental abilities. It was developed by Barry Prizant, Amy Wetherby, Emily Rubin, Amy Laurent and Patrick Rydell.

The focus on Social Communication involves developing spontaneous, functional communication and secure, trusting relationships with children and adults.

SCERTS differs from the focus of “traditional” ABA that typically targets children’s responses in adult directed discrete trials with the use of behavioral techniques to teach language.

The SCERTS Model is most concerned with helping persons with autism to achieve “Authentic Progress”, which is defined as the ability to learn and apply functional skills in a variety of settings and with a variety of partners.

When observing activities in the SCERTS Model, there is always a high priority placed on:

  1. Children initiating as well as responding to partner’s verbal and nonverbal communication;
  2. Children actively participating in activities with adults and peers, with an emphasis on joyful, shared positive emotional experience, and the development of trusting relationships,
  3. Partners implementing a range of interpersonal and learning supports to help a child be most available for learning and engaging,
  4. Partners being highly responsive and supportive in a flexible manner that depends on the child’s emotional state, distractions in the setting, the child’s success in the activity and the need for appropriate levels of support to actively participate.