Effects of Time and Novel Stimuli on

Preferences of Children with Autism Spectrum

Disorders
Jessica Osos, Michigan State University; Dr. Joshua B. Plavnick, Research Advisor
RESULTS
Student #1
Week 3

Week 4

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Student #4

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 1

20

20

18

18

18

16

16

16

14

14

14

14

12

12

12

12

Preference Value

16

10

10

Preference Value

20

10

Week 2

Week 4

Week 3

10

el S

tim
uli

igh
tW
and

No
v

ig
Ro
cke ht Ba
ll
tB
Sp
a
llo
inn
on
ing
L

pF
an
yL
ike

tU

Sp

Lig
h

ble

Lig
ht
Wa
Bu
nd
b

L
Lig ight B
all
ht
Up
Sp
inn
Fa
ing
n

all
oo
n
ike
y

et B

Sp

Ro
ck

ble

an
yL
igh
tB
Bu
all
b

ike

Up
F
Sp

n
Lig
h
Lig
tW
and
ht

ing

Ro
cke
tB
Sp
all
inn
o

p
B u F an
No bbles
v el
Sti
mu
li

igh
tW
t U and

Lig
h

all
et B
Sp
all
inn
oo
ing
n
L

tB

Ro
ck

ey

Lig
h

p
Bu Fan
bb
Sp
les
ik

Lig
h

tU

all
o

on

Lig
ht
W
et B and

Ro
ck

ng

Lig Ballo
on
ht
U
p
No
vel Fan
Sti
mu
Bu
li
b
b
Sp
les
inn
i

al

l
Lig
h
Ro
tW
cke
and
t

tB

inn
ing

Sp

key

Lig
h

an
Bu
b
ble
Sp
s
i

pF

n
Lig
ht
Lig
Wa
ht
nd
U

Sp
in

nin
g

et B
all
o
Ro
ck

t
Ro Up F
cke
a
tB n
all
oo
n

Lig
ht
Wa
nd

Lig
h

ng

el

Sti
mu
Bu
li
b
b
Sp
les
inn
i

tB
all

No
v

Lig
h

ble
Ro
s
cke
tB
all
Sp
oo
ike
n
y

Lig
ht
Wa
Bu
nd
b

an

Sp

inn
ing

tU
pF

tB
al l

Lig
h

yL
igh

ike

ble

Sp

Lig
h

gL
igh
tW
and
Bu
b

Sti
mu
li
tU
pF
Sp
inn
an
in

on

No
v

el

et
Ba
l lo

ike
y

nin
g

ble

Li
Lig ght B
a
ht
Up l l
Ro
Fa
ck
n

Lig
ht
Wa
Bu
nd
b

Sti
mu
li
Sp
in

Sp
in

nin

ble

gL
igh
No
vel t Wand

Up
Sp
Fa
ike
n
yL
igh
tB
Bu
all
b

Sp
ike

igh
Ro
tB
cke
all
tB
all
Lig
oo
n
ht

Lig
ht
Wa
nd
yL

al

l
Sti
mu
Bu
li
bb
les
Bu
bb
les
Lig
ht
Up
Sp
inn
Fa
ing
n

tB

el

igh

No
v

an

Lig
Sp
ht
Wa
ike
nd
yL

nin
g

Sp
in

Lig
h

tU
pF

all
oo
n

an

et B

Ro
ck

key

Up
F

Lig
Sp
ht
inn
Ba
ing
ll
Lig
h
tW
Lig
and
ht

Bu
bb
Sp
les
i

Identifying potent reinforcers for nonverbal children

with Autism Spectrum Disorder can be very difficult,
but essential to effective instruction.
Procedures that allow for empirical ranking of items
from most-to-least preferred are therefore important,
but must account for changes in preference that can
occur over time and with the introduction of novel
stimuli.
Implementing short multiple stimuli without
replacement assessments with five stimuli across
time before instruction may be an effective way to
assess preference due to changes across time and
novel stimuli.

Week 2

18

Preference Value

BACKGROUND

Week 1

20

Student #3

Preference Value

Evaluate consistency of preferred

stimuli across time for nonverbal
children with Autism Spectrum
Disorder
Evaluate effects of novel stimuli on
preference for nonverbal children with
Autism Spectrum Disorder

Student #2

Sp

OBJECTIVE

In the above graphs, the stimuli with the lowest value for each week were on average the most preferred while the stimuli with the highest value were on average the least preferred. Weeks 2 and 4 were weeks where novel stimuli were introduced during each preference assessment; please note these items are bolded in Weeks 2 and 4.

DISCUSSION

METHODS
General Procedure
4 nonverbal children with severe autism
Multiple stimuli without replacement
assessments sessions were conducted
one day each week with multiple trials
per day
Administered during school day within
self-contained ASD classroom
Each week alternated between typical
sessions and novel sessions

Design
A single-case concurrent operants
design was used

Multiple Stimulus
Without Replacement
Procedures

Dependent Measures
The sum of the order an item was
selected across trials in a single given
day

1.

Put up a visual barrier between the participant and

the stimuli

2.

Line up 5 stimuli equidistant from each other

(approx. 2-3 inches)

Conditions

3.

Remove visual barrier

4.

Prompt participant to Choose one

Typical sessions: week 1 and week 3,

used the same 5 stimuli across sessions
(bubbles, spikey light ball, spinning
light wand, light up fan, and rocket
balloon)
Novel sessions: week 2 and week 4,
included a different novel stimuli per
each session with 4 stimuli from the
typical sessions. The novel stimuli
replaced the lowest preferred stimuli
from the previous week

5.

Once participant selects an item, remove unselected

stimuli from participants view

6.

Allow time for participant to interact with selected

stimulus (approx. 30-50 seconds)

7.

Put up a visual barrier and line up stimuli, again

equidistant, and in a different order than before

8.

Take selected stimulus away from participant while

visual barrier is up (verbally or physically prompt as
needed). This item is not in the next line up of
stimuli.

9.

Repeat steps 5 thru 8 until all stimuli have been

selected by the participant.

10. Rank items 1-5 based on order selected

Screenshots of MSWO administration.

Implications
Student #2 consistently selected the novel stimuli as their most preferred item, while student #1,
student #3, and student #4 did not.
Across participants there were varied levels of consistency in preference across the weekly
sessions.
Limitations
Four days across four weeks is a short time span to gather data, continuing research to include
more days would be ideal.
Data from week 2 for student #4 was not obtained.
Effectiveness of highly preferred stimuli versus lowly preferred stimuli as reinforcers was not
tested.
Future Research
The results further support the need for frequent preference assessments with varied stimuli among
nonverbal children with severe ASD.
Future research should consider comparing efficiency of quick preference assessments (such as
MWSO) to other preference assessments as it relates to identifying effective reinforcers.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Funding provided by Michigan State University, Undergraduate Research Funds. Special thanks to Dr. Joshua B. Plavnick, Dr. Julie L. Thompson, and Savana Bak.