About This Study
This study examined ways to help increase cooperation with instructions in children with autism. Many children with autism may have difficulty responding to requests during learning or daily routines, which can make teaching new skills more challenging.
One commonly used ABA strategy is called a high-probability request sequence. This approach involves asking a child to complete several simple tasks they are likely to do successfully before presenting a more difficult request. The idea is that completing easier tasks first helps build momentum and increases the likelihood that the child will respond to the more challenging instruction.
In this study, researchers explored whether the type of easy tasks used in the sequence made a difference. They compared two approaches:
- Relevant tasks that were related to the upcoming instruction
- Irrelevant tasks that were unrelated to the upcoming instruction
The study also compared whether presenting these tasks in a fixed order or in a variable order affected results.
What the Study Found
Results showed that high-probability requests that were relevant to the upcoming task were more effective at increasing compliance than unrelated tasks. In addition, presenting the tasks in a variable order led to higher levels of cooperation for most participants.
Why This Matters
These findings suggest that small adjustments in how teaching strategies are used can make a meaningful difference in how children respond to instruction. By carefully selecting and varying high-probability tasks, clinicians may be able to improve engagement and cooperation during learning activities for children with autism.
Citation
Planer DeTiberiis, J., Sarokoff, R. A., Mahoney, M. A., & El-Roy, D.
Effects of Relevant and Irrelevant High-Probability Request Sequences on Compliance in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Behavioral Interventions.
