Further Evaluation of the Displacement of Leisure Items by Food During Stimulus Preference Assessments with Children with Autism

Abstract

The present study evaluates the extent to which food stimuli displace leisure stimuli when they are combined in stimulus preference assessments. Four children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder participated in the study. Multiple-stimulus without replacement preference assessments were given both before and after meals for five consecutive days. Food reliably displaced leisure items for 2 of 4 participants. For one of the participants, leisure items reliably displaced food items, while another participant had mixed results. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.