MITA is based on Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT), one of the best-supported therapies for children diagnosed with ASD. MITA aims to develop one of four pivotal skills targeted by PRT: a child's ability to notice and to respond to multiple visual cues presented simultaneously. This ability is typically impaired in individuals with autism, leading to what is commonly described as stimulus overselectivity, or "tunnel vision." Improving the capacity to discern and respond to multiple cues has been shown to reduce stimulus overselectivity, which in turn leads to vast improvements in general learning.