Using Stimulus Preference Assessments to Identify Preferred Break Environments
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Psychology
Date
4-2019
Abstract
A pictorial preference assessment was conducted for 2 individuals with autism who had programmed breaks in their behavior plans. Assessed break environments were individualized, based on indirect assessments and direct observations. The most highly (HP) and least preferred (LP) environments and a control with no associated break were included in a subsequent reinforcer assessment using a concurrent-chains arrangement within a reversal design. Participants selected a multitask sequence (initial link) associated with one of the break environments. Phase A evaluated the reinforcing properties of all three breaks; the HP was removed in Phase B. Both participants allocated more responding to HP than LP, and to LP than control, suggesting that breaks functioned as reinforcers. The results indicated that preference assessment technology can be used to identify highly preferred breaks that function as reinforcers. Social validity measures indicated that the individuals' clinicians found the results useful for future clinical programming.
Recommended Citation
Castelluccio, Natalie T. and Johnson, Cammarie, "Using Stimulus Preference Assessments to Identify Preferred Break Environments" (2019). Student Work - College of Arts and Sciences. 35.
https://digitalcommons.wne.edu/casstudent/35
Original Citation
Castelluccio, N. T., & Johnson, C. (2019). Using stimulus preference assessments to identify preferred break environments. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 52, 772-787. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.567
