Across the day, students are asked to complete a variety of tasks, each requiring a different amount of effort. Students often earn reinforcers for task completion. A typical reinforcer assessment gives information regarding the reinforcing efficacy of an item, but does not tell us anything about the effort required to complete the task. The purpose of the present study is to compare the results of a progressive ratio demand assessment, in which break points for a variety of different tasks with a constant positive reinforcer are identified, with those of a paired stimulus preference assessment, in which preference among the tasks is assessed. These data could help inform caretakers about the effort required to complete various tasks and improve clinical programming.
Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)
Autism Research Database (AFD)
