Rapid prompting method

RPM founder Mukhopadhyay purports to base RPM on psychological, developmental and behavioral theories put forth by Jean Piaget (developmental psychology) and Anna Jean Ayres (sensory integration), the goal of which is to "establish functional independent pointing-based communication in people who are otherwise nonverbal due to severe autism or other developmental disabilities." ==Historical background==

The rapid prompting method (also known as RPM, Rapid Prompting, Soma®RPM, Informative Pointing, Spelling To Communicate (STC) and Alphabet Therapy) By trial and error, Mukhopadhyay combined various behavioral and communication techniques to help her son, Tito, who has a diagnosis of autism and exhibits limited speaking abilities. This is, purportedly, "the most direct and unlimited path to learning and communicating." as proof of the method's efficacy. In 2005, Mukhopadhyay moved from California to Austin, Texas, where she established the Halo-Soma Institute. There, she provides clinical services, offers workshops and promotes RPM internationally. Evaluation research is not conducted by the institute. Alphabet Therapy was developed and is promoted by Vanderbilt University and focuses specifically on people with Angelman syndrome. ==Organizations opposing rapid prompting method==

• The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) • The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) • The Association for Science in Autism Treatment • The Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT) • Speech-Language and Audiology Canada (SAC) ==Criticism==

Empirical evidence RPM proponents point to one study to support their claims of efficacy: "Harnessing repetitive behaviours to engage attention and learning in a novel therapy for autism: An exploratory analysis", as proof of the method's efficacy. The study and that the prompts are "nonspecific." However, critics of RPM point out that subtle cuing takes place during RPM that makes it "highly susceptible to facilitator influence." Other similarities between RPM and FC include: reluctance or refusal to test facilitator/client pairs in controlled settings (purportedly because the process breaks the trust between the pair), presumed competence, reliance on anecdotal accounts as proof of efficacy, maintenance of practices, techniques and claims that are inconsistent with the known body of work around the behavior and communication skills of individuals with developmental disabilities or proven remediation techniques, claims of extraordinary literacy or intellectual breakthroughs, unconscious verbal or physical cuing by facilitators to obtain the expected responses, inadequate or non-existent protocols to fade supported or facilitated prompts. ==Media==

RPM has been featured in several documentary and on several television news programs including: 60 Minutes II, RPM was featured in an Apple Inc. commercial, which led to criticism of Apple for promoting pseudoscience. Critics of this type of media attention point out that these programs portray autism as "mysterious in nature", offer anecdotal evidence (i.e., Tito's poetry) as proof that RPM works, and downplay the fact that RPM "does not have research to support it at this time." A version of RPM was used in the controversial 2024 podcast The Telepathy Tapes. ==Bibliography==