Conducting Preference Assessments Research Articles

Using a visual support package to facilitate independent leisure engagement and choice-making for individuals with moderate to severe autism in Taiwan.

Self-determination encompasses various components, including decision-making and independence, making it a complex process. While the importance of self-determination for individuals with autism spectrum disorder has been explored in previous studies, there is limited research focusing on individuals with moderate to severe autism spectrum disorder. Evidence-based practices such as visual activity schedules and video modeling have shown effectiveness in promoting independence among individuals with autism spectrum disorder. To address the need for independence and choice-making among individuals with moderate to severe autism spectrum disorder, this study developed a visual support package incorporating visual activity schedules, video modeling, preference assessments, and prompt procedures. By investigating the intervention's effectiveness in three participants, this study contributes to the existing literature on the use of a visual activity schedule and video modeling in enhancing choice-making and independent leisure engagement. Following the intervention, all participants were able to select three leisure activities, develop their own visual schedules, and complete them. Notably, this study conducted preference assessments to determine participants' preferred leisure activities and did not provide additional reinforcement. Practical implications of this research include incorporating video prompting as needed and adjusting activity engagement time. Future research should explore the long-term effectiveness of the visual support package and its application in developing novel skills or vocational activities for individuals with moderate to severe autism spectrum disorder. This study fills a critical gap in the literature, providing important insights for practices and research in the field of autism spectrum disorder interventions.

Preferences for Edible and Electronic Leisure Items: A Systematic Replication

Early studies evaluating the relative preference for leisure compared with edible items suggested that, for most participants (>80%), edible items are more preferred than leisure items. Recent studies suggest more variability in the percentage of participants with this preference. The rationale for this variability could be sampling, setting, availability of items outside of the study, or the items included. As a systematic replication, we conducted preference assessments of leisure, edible, and leisure/edible items combined of 13 children with developmental disabilities. As an inclusion criterion, all participants had an electronic item as the top-preferred leisure item. An edible item ranked first in the combined assessment for 46.2% of participants. This replicates recent findings while accounting for access to edibles outside of the study. These outcomes are important to guide use of preference assessments across reinforcer classes in clinical and school settings.

Preference assessments as a tool to evaluate environmental enrichment.

Environmental enrichment is an important tool utilized to improve animal welfare in zoological institutions through opportunity for mental and physical stimulation. Many past studies have focused on the impact enrichment has on animal behavior; however, none have conducted preference assessments on enrichment items to examine the relationship between animals' preferences and interaction with enrichment over a 24-hr period. Ten-minute free operant, paired-choice preference assessments were implemented in Study 1 to determine the enrichment preferences of African lions (N = 3). Following Study 1, Study 2 was conducted, which examined the behavior of African lions with enrichment items over the course of 30, 24-hr trials to evaluate the relationship between preferences established in Study 1 and long-term interaction with the enrichment. Generalized estimating equations revealed a statistically significant relationship between the percentage of time the enrichment was approached first and the average duration of interaction in Study 1 to the total duration of interaction and the percent of hours interacted with the item in Study 2. Additionally, the first 2 min of the preference data resulted in comparable statistically significant findings, demonstrating shorter preference assessments can produce similar results. The results support our prediction that preference assessments can be used to estimate the amount of interaction with enrichment over the course of time, with preferred items being interacted with more frequently and in longer duration. Information gained from this study suggests preference assessments can be a time and cost-effective tool to evaluate enrichment preference and predicted efficacy.

Preference for leisure items over edible items in individuals with dementia: A replication.

We replicated previous research in which adults with dementia tended to show a preference for leisure items over edible items when presented in the same array. Additionally, we conducted engagement analyses with the highest, middle, and lowest preference leisure items to determine whether relative preference corresponded to engagement in the natural environment. The most highly preferred stimulus for 6 out of 7 participants was a leisure item, and for each of those six the top 3 preferred stimuli were leisure stimuli. For 4 participants, the most preferred stimulus also produced the longest duration of engagement. We discuss the issues we encountered when conducting preference assessments with adults with intact vocal verbal repertoires, and suggest potential explanations for the displacement of edibles by leisure stimuli in older adults with dementia.

Comparing Performance Feedback and Video Self-Monitoring Within a BST Package to Train Pre-service Behavior Analysts to Conduct Preference Assessments

Behavior skills training (BST) has been shown to be an effective strategy for teaching new skills. Given the evidence suggesting its efficacy for use as a training package, BST should be considered as an option for training future behavior analysts to implement behavior change strategies. Further, training future practitioners to engage in self-monitoring skills may enhance training and promote generalized skills across time. Video self-monitoring is one strategy that can increase efficiency of using this strategy. The current study compares two BST packages, one with instructor feedback and one with video self-monitoring, in a multielement design embedded within a multiple baseline across participants design to train master’s level graduate students to conduct preference assessments. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of performance feedback and video self-monitoring on performance fidelity outcomes of pre-service behavior analysts conducting preference assessments.

An Evaluation of Real-Time Feedback Delivered Via Telehealth: Training Staff to Conduct Preference Assessments.

Effective, efficient, and accessible staff-training procedures are needed to meet the service-delivery demand for treating individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of delivering real-time feedback via telehealth to train staff to conduct a preference assessment. A nonconcurrent multiple-baseline across-participants design showed that remote real-time feedback was associated with short training time and minimal sessions to achieve mastery. Generalization and maintenance probes indicated these skills were transferable to other preference assessment stimuli and learners.

Concurrent operant preference assessment to identify social consequences to decrease task latency for adolescents with dual diagnosis

Identifying effective reinforcers to use to increase desired behaviors is essential to the success of an intervention. Conducting preference assessments is a proven method for identification of effective reinforcers. In the current study, reinforcers were identified to decrease the latency of initiation of daily living skills such as laundry, showering, and chores in five individuals with dual diagnoses. A Concurrent Operant Preference Assessment measuring response allocation to social stimuli was completed with each individual to determine preferred consequence to increase task compliance. Results showed that all five participants decreased latency to initiate daily tasks once treatment was implemented compared with that during the baseline phase. These results were perceived as socially acceptable by staff, and the improvement was maintained 2 weeks beyond the completion of treatment.

Conducting preference assessments for youth with disorders of consciousness during rehabilitation.

Care and rehabilitation for individuals with disorders of consciousness (DOC) can be challenging; the use of observational data collection, individualized treatment programs, and incorporation of preferred, personally meaningful and salient items may be helpful in addressing such challenges during assessment and intervention. In this article, we extend the predominantly adult literature on use of salient items to promote differential responding by describing our methodology to identify preferred items across sensory domains for application during inpatient rehabilitation with children with DOC. Details on the indirect and direct preference assessment procedures rooted in applied behavior analysis that we have tailored for this population are provided. We describe steps of the procedures, including structured caregiver interview, staff survey, item inclusion, in vivo single-item stimulus preference assessment, and treatment. Clinical case examples further illustrate implementation of our methodology, observed response topographies, individually identified preferred items, and their application for 3 children in a minimally conscious state. In addition, we introduce a new structured caregiver interview, the Preference Assessment for Youth with Disorders of Consciousness (PAYDOC), modeled on the Reinforcer Assessment for Individuals with Severe Disabilities (RAISD; Fisher, Piazza, Bowman, & Amari, 1996) and modified to be appropriate for future use as a clinical tool to enhance assessment of preferences with this pediatric brain injury population. This methodology can be used to identify highly idiosyncratic stimuli that can be incorporated in multiple ways throughout rehabilitation to optimize care for youth with DOC. (PsycINFO Database Record

Assessing preference for and reinforcing efficacy of components of social interaction in individuals with autism spectrum disorder

We evaluated the degree to which social interactions are reinforcing for two individuals with autism spectrum disorder by comparing individual components (i.e., edible, vocal, and physical interaction) alone and in combination. First, we conducted preference assessments to determine preference hierarchies within three stimulus classes: edible, vocal, and physical interaction. Second, we evaluated preference for individual stimuli across these classes. Third, we examined the relative reinforcing efficacy of highly preferred stimuli assessed individually. Fourth, with individuals for whom physical and vocal stimuli served as reinforcers, we evaluated if adding the other component, physical or vocal, increased the effectiveness of that consequence as a reinforcer. Results suggested differences in the relative reinforcing efficacy of components of social interaction. Additionally, combining components to form compound stimuli produced idiosyncratic differences in relative rates of responding.

Implementing Tablet-Based Devices to Improve Communication Skills of Students With Autism

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties in communication that limit their opportunities to participate in daily living and educational activities. Augmentative alternative communication is one of the strategies used to strengthen the communication skills of students with limited communication skills. Students with ASD commonly use handheld devices for communication. This article provides guidelines for special education teachers to support the implementation of tablet-based speech-generating devices in their classrooms. These guidelines may help special education teachers through the process of creating a student’s profile, conducting preference assessments, programming devices, and providing instruction in natural contexts.

Caregivers as Interventionists and Trainers: Teaching Mands to Children with Developmental Disabilities.

We evaluated the use of behavioral skills training (BST) to train caregivers to conduct procedures commonly associated with mand training. We trained two caregivers on the following procedures: (a) conducting preference assessments, (b) delivering preferred items contingent on appropriate behavior, (c) capturing and contriving motivating operations, (d) conducting probes to assess the child's current mand repertoire, (e) errorless prompting procedures using echoic prompts, (f) vocal shaping, (g) collecting data, and (h) correcting errors. We also assessed whether a trained caregiver could in turn train their spouse on these procedures. We evaluated the effects of the intervention on the frequency of child spontaneous and prompted mands. The three caregivers performed near zero percent accuracy during baseline but increased to above 80% accuracy with training, and high performance persisted during most maintenance probes. These results were replicated for the parent who received training from their spouse. In addition, spontaneous mands were occurring more frequently than prompted mands by the end of the study. The implications of caregivers implementing mand training procedures based on Skinner's analysis of verbal behavior are discussed.

The effects of pairing non-preferred staff with preferred stimuli on increasing the reinforcing value of non-preferred staff attention

This two-part study conducted preference assessments for staff members in three adults with intellectual disabilities and then paired attention from non-preferred staff with preferred stimuli. All three participants reliably identified preferred and non-preferred staff in both verbal and pictorial preference assessments, they emitted a higher rate responses during progressive ratio schedules for attention from preferred than from non-preferred staff and emitted more approach responses to preferred than non-preferred staff. When attention from non-preferred staff was paired with preferred stimuli, break points and the rate of approaches to non-preferred staff systematically increased as a function of stimulus pairings. The paper discusses the implications of preparing staff to work with people with intellectual disabilities.

Pick One!

Pick One!

EVALUATION OF A SELF‐INSTRUCTION PACKAGE FOR CONDUCTING STIMULUS PREFERENCE ASSESSMENTS

Research suggests that inexperienced individuals cannot accurately implement stimulus preference assessments given written instructions alone. Training that includes written instructions supplemented with feedback from a professional with expertise in conducting preference assessments has proven effective; unfortunately, expert-facilitated direct training may not be widely available. In the current study, we used multiple baseline designs to evaluate the efficacy of an antecedent-only self-instructional package to train staff members to implement two methods of stimulus preference assessments. Accuracy was low when participants had access to written instructions alone. When access to enhanced written instructions was provided (i.e., technical jargon was minimized; instructions included pictures, diagrams, and step-by-step examples), inexperienced staff accurately implemented the assessments. Results are discussed in terms of opportunities to disseminate behavior-analytic technologies through self-instruction and print resources.

AN EVALUATION OF ANTECEDENT EXERCISE ON BEHAVIOR MAINTAINED BY AUTOMATIC REINFORCEMENT USING A THREE‐COMPONENT MULTIPLE SCHEDULE

We evaluated antecedent exercise for treating the automatically reinforced problem behavior of 4 individuals with autism. We conducted preference assessments to identify leisure and exercise items that were associated with high levels of engagement and low levels of problem behavior. Next, we conducted three 3-component multiple-schedule sequences: an antecedent-exercise test sequence, a noncontingent leisure-item control sequence, and a social-interaction control sequence. Within each sequence, we used a 3-component multiple schedule to evaluate preintervention, intervention, and postintervention effects. Problem behavior decreased during the postintervention component relative to the preintervention component for 3 of the 4 participants during the exercise-item assessment; however, the effects could not be attributed solely to exercise for 1 of these participants.

Teaching behavioral therapists to conduct brief preference assessments during therapy sessions

The purpose of this study was to examine group classroom instruction and the need for in vivo feedback when teaching 11 behavioral therapists how to conduct a brief paired-stimulus preference assessment, when to conduct preference assessments, and how to interpret the data during regular therapy sessions. Group classroom instruction, consisting of lecture, video modeling, role-play and feedback with a simulated client, was sufficient for seven participants and in vivo feedback was necessary for four participants. Accurate performance was maintained at a 4 week follow-up for 8 participants. Data show that following skill acquisition there was an increase in the variety of stimuli assessed which presents an opportunity to identify diverse preferences. Additionally, each brief paired-stimulus preference assessment took less than 30 s to complete, suggesting that it is practical for therapists to regularly assess preference during their therapy sessions.

Description of a Practitioner Model for Identifying Preferred Stimuli With Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders

The rich technology of stimulus preference assessment (SPA) is a product of 40 years of experimental research. Basic principles of reinforcement and a modest empirical literature suggest that high-preference stimuli identified via SPA may enhance treatment efficacy and decrease problem behavior more effectively than less-preferred stimuli. SPAs can be conducted using one of several methods associated with different time requirements and outcomes. Despite the broad applicability of preference assessments, we are unaware of widely available practitioner guidelines that prescribe when to use SPAs, how to select and modify specific SPA procedures, and how to supplement SPAs with other procedures for maximizing performance. The purpose of the current article is to describe a model for practitioners to select and conduct preference assessments based on practical considerations and research findings. Data are also reported from the application of the proposed model to preference assessments for 20 individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.

Evaluating an engagement-based preference assessment for children with Autism

One method of conducting preference assessments with individuals who have autism involves measuring the time spent by the child engaging with various stimuli. Engagement is generally defined as showing interest in the stimulus but few studies have investigated the potential effects of the quality of engagement with the stimulus on reinforcer effectiveness. In this study, both the duration and quality of engagement were measured for four children with autism aged between 4 and 5 years who participated in a duration-based multiple stimulus with replacement preference assessment. Stimuli were classified into one of the following three categories based on duration and quality of engagement with each stimulus presented: no interest; interest and; active engagement. The relative reinforcing value of stimuli from each category was then investigated. Results showed that the quality of engagement with the stimulus did not predict the relative reinforcer effectiveness of the selected stimuli for any of the participants. For two children, the procedure was effective in differentiating stimuli classified as no interest and those with which the child had engaged, regardless of the quality of that engagement. The utility of an engagement-based preference assessment that also measures quality of engagement with stimuli as a means to guide selection of reinforcers for children with autism is discussed.

The clinical utility of two reinforcement preference assessment techniques: A comparison of duration of assessment and identification of functional reinforcers.

Educators have relied on the use of positive reinforcement techniques for many years to modify human behavior (e.g., Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007). One particular challenge in working with individuals who exhibit developmental disabilities such as autism is that of selecting effective reinforcers. Caregiver interviews are frequently utilized but are not necessarily accurate predictors of reinforcers (e.g., Green, Reid, Canipe, & Gardner, 1991). As an alternative, Pace, Martin, Ivancic, Edwards, Iwata, and Page (1985) described a systematic preference assessment. Participants were presented with various stimuli, one at a time, and their approach or non-approach of the item was measured. Items which were approached were found to be more reinforcing than non-approached items when utilized in a behavior change program. Since then, several variations have been developed, including forced choice/paired stimulus (FC/PS; Fisher, Piazza, Bowman, Hagopian, Owens, & Slevin, 1992; Mason, McGee, Farmer-Dougan, & Risley, 1989), multiple stimulus presentations with replacement (MSW; Windsor, Piche, & Locke (1994), and the Multiple Stimulus Without Replacement (MSWO; DeLeon & Iwata 1996). In the PS approach, two potentially reinforcing items are presented at the same time and the participant is asked to pick one. All items are compared to one another and their position on the table is controlled. In the MSW approach, all items are available to the participant at the same time. Once a selection is made and the participant accesses the item, it is placed back in the lineup for a second selection. Position in the line is controlled for by rotating the items after each selection. The MSWO is similar except that once an item has been chosen, it is removed from the lineup. It is assumed that those items which are chosen first will function more effectively as reinforcers. In addition to being able to accurately identify reinforcing items, it is critical to applied clinicians that preference assessment techniques are able to be carried out in the most efficient manner, with regard to duration of procedure. In order to better serve clients, it would be helpful to know which preference assessment techniques yield the most accurate prediction of reinforcers in the least amount of administration time. DeLe on and Iwata (1996) explored this topic by comparing the paired stimulus (PS) presentation, with the multiple stimuli with and without replacement presentations (MSW and MSWO). They found that the MSW was the fastest to administer but that the MSWO and the PS identified more stimuli that are at least minimally reinforcing than does the MS procedure (p. 530). Thus, the purpose of the current research was to compare administration time of the MSWO and the PS assessments and their ability to accurately identify reinforcers given a sorting task. Method Participants and Setting Four individuals with a primary diagnosis of autism and varying levels of mental retardation served as participants. They lived in a private residential facility for individuals with developmental disabilities. These four males (ranging in ages, 14-20 years) followed simple one-step directions and were generally compliant throughout the study. One participant communicated using vocal speech, while the other three communicated via simple gestures and limited use of picture symbols. All participants required assistance with daily living skills such as tooth brushing and bathing. They were all able to feed themselves if food was cut up to the typical size. The study was conducted at the residential school facility that the participants attended. Sessions were held in the school building in a room measuring 21' x 12'. This room had one window, eight chairs, and a large table. Phase 1 Purpose and dependent measure The purpose of phase 1 was to conduct preference assessments to determine length of time to complete and the relative rankings obtained. …

CONSUMPTION AND RESPONSE OUTPUT AS A FUNCTION OF UNIT PRICE: MANIPULATION OF COST AND BENEFIT COMPONENTS

We conducted preference assessments with 4 typically developing children to identify potential reinforcers and assessed the reinforcing efficacy of those stimuli. Next, we tested two predictions of economic theory: that overall consumption (reinforcers obtained) would decrease as the unit price (response requirement per reinforcer) increased and that the cost and benefit components that defined unit price would not influence overall consumption considerably when unit price values were equal. We tested these predictions by arranging unit price such that the denominator was one (e.g., two responses produced one reinforcer) or two (e.g., four responses produced two reinforcers). Results showed that consumption decreased as unit price increased and that unit price values with different components produced similar consumption.