Utility of Formal Preference Assessments for Individuals Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The systematic use of reinforcers is an essential component of behavioral intervention for individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Today, the use of rigorous formal preference assessments, including paired-preference assessments, are widely conducted to help determine which items to use...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Education and training in autism and developmental disabilities 2015-06, Vol.50 (2), p.199-212
Main Authors: Leaf, Justin B., Leaf, Ronald, Alcalay, Aditt, Leaf, Jeremy A., Ravid, Daniel, Dale, Stephanie, Kassardjian, Alyne, Tsuji, Kathleen, Taubman, Mitchell, McEachin, John, Oppenheim-Leaf, Misty
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Autism
Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule
Autistic disorder
Behavior
Behavioral decision theory
Children
City squares
Color
Comparative Analysis
Decision support systems
Developmental disabilities
Efficiency metrics
Evaluation Methods
Individualized Instruction
Learning motivation
Males
Manipulative Materials
Multiple criteria decision making
Pervasive child development disorders
Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Poker chips
Preferences
Reinforcement
Responses
Stimuli
Studies
Teachers
Teaching
Toys
Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales
Wechsler Preschool Primary Scale of Intelligence
Young Children
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Summary:The systematic use of reinforcers is an essential component of behavioral intervention for individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Today, the use of rigorous formal preference assessments, including paired-preference assessments, are widely conducted to help determine which items to use as reinforcers during intervention. Although paired-preference assessments are widely used there is no experimental evidence whether extensive advance sampling actually produces higher rates of responding compared to in-the-moment analysis of reinforcer effects. The present study compared the rate of responding on a simple sorting task when participants were provided items that were determined as preferred via an extensive paired preference assessment to a teacher selecting items without the use of a paired preference assessment, but rather with an in-the-moment analysis of reinforcer effects. The results indicated no clear difference in the rate of responding, but there were clear differences in terms of efficiency. Clinical implications will be discussed.
ISSN:2154-1647