1. introduction what are preference assessments

1. Preference Assessments
By Grecia Trujillo, BCBA
And Ellie Kazemi, Ph.D., BCBA-D
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2. Table of Contents
1. Introduction to preference assessments
2. Single stimulus and paired-stimulus preference assessments
3. Paired-stimulus data collection
4. Calculating and interpreting the results of a paired-stimulus
preference assessment
5. Multiple-stimulus without replacement preference assessment
6. Multiple-stimulus without replacement data collection
7. Calculating and interpreting the results of a multiple stimulus
without replacement preference assessment
8. Free-operant preference assessment
9. Free-operant data collection
10. Calculating and interpreting the results of a free-operant
preference assessment
11. Decision making tree
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3. Table of Contents
1. Introduction to preference assessments
a. What are preference assessments
b. Importance of preference assessments
c. Individual preferences
d. Continuous assessment
e. Reinforcer surveys
f. Formal preference assessments
g. Preparation before an assessment
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4. What Are Preference Assessments & Why Are
They Important
Procedure to identify an individual’s favorite things so
they can be used as potential reinforcers.
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5. What Are Preference Assessments & Why Are
They Important
Identifying powerful (or high quality) reinforcers are a
necessary component to:
• Increase skill acquisition
• Decrease problem behaviors
• Increase the learner’s motivation
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6. What Are Preference Assessments & Why Are
They Important
Using these reinforcers and pairing them with other
items during your session is important to increase the
number of items your client prefers
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7. Preferences
Learners have individual preferences that vary over time
depending on various things such as:
• Satiation (i.e. having had a lot of something)
• Deprivation (i.e. not having had something for some time)
• Conditioning history (i.e. items that have been paired with
other reinforcers)
seek
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8. Preferences
Learners have individual preferences that vary over time
depending on various things such as:
• Satiation (i.e. having had a lot of something)
• Deprivation (i.e. not having had something for some time)
• Conditioning history (i.e. items that have been paired with
other reinforcers)
e and seek
8

9. Preferences
Learners have individual preferences that vary over time
depending on various things such as:
• Satiation (i.e. having had a lot of something)
• Deprivation (i.e. not having had something for some time)
• Conditioning history (i.e. items that have been paired with
other reinforcers)
For example, the following may or may not serve as reinforcers
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10. Preferences
For example, the following may or may not serve as
reinforcers for some people but certainly not at all times
• High five from the behavior technician
• Hugs from mom
• Smile and the words “Good job”
• Salty chips
• Tickles
• Playing hide and seek
10

11. Preferences
For example, the following may or may not serve as
reinforcers for some people but certainly not at all times
• High five from the behavior technician
• Hugs from mom
• Smile and the words “Good job”
• Salty chips
• Tickles
• Playing hide and seek
11

12. Preferences
For example, the following may or may not serve as
reinforcers for some people but certainly not at all times
• High five from the behavior technician
• Hugs from mom
• Smile and the words “Good job”
• Salty chips
• Tickles
• Playing hide and seek
12

13. Preferences
For example, the following may or may not serve as
reinforcers for some people but certainly not at all times
• High five from the behavior technician
• Hugs from mom
• Smile and the words “Good job”
• Salty chips
• Tickles
• Playing hide and seek
13

14. Preferences
For example, the following may or may not serve as
reinforcers for some people but certainly not at all times
• High five from the behavior technician
• Hugs from mom
• Smile and the words “Good job”
• Salty chips
• Tickles
• Playing hide and seek
14

15. Preferences
For example, the following may or may not serve as
reinforcers for some people but certainly not at all times
• High five from the behavior technician
• Hugs from mom
• Smile and the words “Good job”
• Salty chips
• Tickles
• Playing hide and seek
15

16. Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for
Behavior Analysts
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17. Following the ethical compliance code
• When choosing potential reinforcers avoid choosing items that
may be harmful
• Scenario:
• Sam’s mom tells Steven, the RBT, that Sam, who is 10 years old, loves drinking
Monster. She tells Steven that it is okay to give him Monster during session when
he’s answering questions correctly. The results of the preference assessment
showed that orange juice was highly preferred. In order to follow the ethical code,
Steven decides to use the juice instead of the Monster.
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18. Following the ethical compliance code
• Giving too much of one thing could also be harmful.
• Scenario:
• Based on the results of a preference assessment, Pam found that her client’s most
preferred item is cookies. She is familiar with the ethical code and is aware that
giving her client too many cookies could be bad for her client’s health. In order to
follow the ethical code, Pam decides to give her client small pieces of a cookie
and also uses other reinforcers throughout the session such as bubbles, ipad
time, and reading.
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19. Continuous Assessment
It is important for RBTs to identify the learner’s
preferences as frequently as possible
We recommend you conduct full assessments
• During the initial assessment
• Periodically (e.g. every 4 months)
• When contexts or life events change
onew school year
ovacation or after holidays
omajor life changes such as a new sibling
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20. Continuous Assessment
It is important for RBTs to identify the learner’s
preferences as frequently as possible
We recommend you conduct full assessments
• During the initial assessment
• Periodically (e.g. every 4 months)
• When contexts or life events change
onew school year
ovacation or after holidays
omajor life changes such as a new sibling
20

21. Continuous Assessment
It is important for RBTs to identify the learner’s
preferences as frequently as possible
We recommend you conduct full assessments
• During the initial assessment
• Periodically (e.g. every 4 months)
• When contexts or life events change
onew school year
ovacation or after holidays
omajor life changes such as a new sibling
21

22. Continuous Assessment
It is important for RBTs to identify the learner’s
preferences as frequently as possible
We recommend you conduct full assessments
• During the initial assessment
• Periodically (e.g. every 4 months)
• When contexts or life events change
onew school year
ovacation or after holidays
omajor life changes such as a new sibling
22

23. Continuous Assessment
You can conduct mini assessments, pre-session, as
frequently as possible.
Examples of mini assessments will be provided in the
following sections.
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24. Reinforcer Surveys
One method of identifying learner’s potential reinforcers
has been to ask parents, teachers, or caregivers.
Some known surveys include:
• Reinforcer Checklist (Matson et al., 1999)
• Reinforcer Assessment for Individuals With Severe Disabilities (RAISD; Fisher et al., 1994)
• Likert questions (Green et al., 1991)
Surveys can be used initially to select potential stimuli for preference
assessments, but should not be used by itself to identify potential
reinforcers.
Limitations:
• Reinforcer surveys have low predictive validity, which means there is low agreement
between caregiver’s report and direct observation of what functions as a reinforcer.
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25. Reinforcer Surveys
Some known surveys include:
• Reinforcer Checklist (Matson et al., 1999)
• Reinforcer Assessment for Individuals With Severe
Disabilities (RAISD; Fisher et al., 1994)
• Likert questions (Green et al., 1991)
Surveys can be used initially to select potential stimuli for
preference assessments, but should not be used by itself to
identify potential reinforcers.
Limitations:
• Reinforcer surveys have low predictive validity, which means there is low agreement
between caregiver’s report and direct observation of what functions as a reinforcer.
25

26. Reinforcer Surveys
Surveys can be used initially to select potential stimuli for
preference assessments, but should not be used by itself
to identify potential reinforcers.
Limitations:
• Reinforcer surveys have low predictive validity, which means there is low agreement
between caregiver’s report and direct observation of what functions as a reinforcer.
26

27. Reinforcer Surveys
Limitations:
• Reinforcer surveys have low predictive validity, which
means there is low agreement between caregiver’s
report and direct observation of what functions as a
reinforcer.
27

28. Preference Assessments (PA)
Preference assessments should be used because they:
• have high predictive validity (High agreement between caregiver’s
report and direct observation of what functions as a reinforcer)
• are a direct measure of preference
• allow you to identify whether one stimulus is more preferred
than others (preference hierarchy)
• give you more confidence on the stimuli you select as
potential reinforcers
28

29. Preference Assessments (PA)
Preference assessments should be used because they:
• have high predictive validity
• are a direct measure of preference
• allow you to identify whether one stimulus is more preferred
than others (preference hierarchy)
• give you more confidence on the stimuli you select as
potential reinforcers
29

30. Preference Assessments (PA)
Preference assessments should be used because they:
• have high predictive validity
• are a direct measure of preference
• allow you to identify whether one stimulus is more preferred
than others (preference hierarchy)
• give you more confidence on the stimuli you select as
potential reinforcers
30

31. Preference Assessments (PA)
Preference assessments should be used because they:
• have high predictive validity
• are a direct measure of preference
• allow you to identify whether one stimulus is more preferred
than others (preference hierarchy)
• give you more confidence on the stimuli you select as
potential reinforcers
31

32. Preference Assessments (PA)
Formal preference assessments:
• Single-Stimulus
• Multiple Stimulus Without Replacement
• Paired-Stimulus
• Free-Operant
32

33. Preference Assessments (PA)
Formal preference assessments:
• Single-Stimulus
• Multiple Stimulus Without Replacement
• Paired-Stimulus
• Free-Operant
33

34. Preference Assessments (PA)
Formal preference assessments:
• Single-Stimulus
• Multiple Stimulus Without Replacement
• Paired-Stimulus
• Free-Operant
34

35. Preference Assessments (PA)
Formal preference assessments:
• Single-Stimulus
• Multiple Stimulus Without Replacement
• Paired-Stimulus
• Free-Operant
35

36. Before You Begin Any of these Assessments
1. Find an appropriate place to conduct the assessment
and set up the learning environment (i.e. move things
around) if necessary
• Might not always have a table available, if that is the
case, you might have to conduct the PA on the:
ofloor
ocorner of the room
ocouch
opatio
2. Remove everything
36

37. Before You Begin Any of these Assessments
1. Find an appropriate place to conduct the assessment
and set up the learning environment (i.e. move things
around) if necessary
• Might not always have a table available, if that is the
case, you might have to conduct the PA on the:
ofloor
ocorner of the room
ocouch
opatio
2. Remove everything
37

38. Before You Begin Any of these Assessments
1. Find an appropriate place to conduct the assessment
and set up the learning environment (i.e. move things
around) if necessary
• Might not always have a table available, if that is the
case, you might have to conduct the PA on the:
ofloor
ocorner of the room
ocouch
opatio
2. Remove everything
38

39. Before You Begin Any of these Assessments
1. Find an appropriate place to conduct the assessment
and set up the learning environment (i.e. move things
around) if necessary
• Might not always have a table available, if that is the
case, you might have to conduct the PA on the:
ofloor
ocorner of the room
ocouch
opatio
2. Remove everything
39

40. Before You Begin Any of these Assessments
1. Find an appropriate place to conduct the assessment
and set up the learning environment (i.e. move things
around) if necessary
• Might not always have a table available, if that is the
case, you might have to conduct the PA on the:
ofloor
ocorner of the room
ocouch
opatio
2. Remove everything
40

41. Before You Begin Any of these Assessments
1. Find an appropriate place to conduct the assessment
and set up the learning environment (i.e. move things
around) if necessary
• Might not always have a table available, if that is the
case, you might have to conduct the PA on the:
ofloor
ocorner of the room
ocouch
opatio
2. Remove everything
41

42. Before You Begin Any of these Assessments
2. Have all the required materials ready:
• Data sheets
• Pen
• Potential reinforcers
• Gloves for edibles
• Tray, plates, etc. to present the stimuli simultaneously
3. Remove everything else (e.g. No phones, water bottles, or any
other unnecessary stimuli)
42

43. Before You Begin Any of these Assessments
2. Have all the required materials ready:
• Data sheets
• Pen
• Potential reinforcers
• Gloves for edibles
• Tray, plates, etc. to present the stimuli simultaneously
3. Remove everything else (e.g. No phones, water bottles, or any
other unnecessary stimuli)
43

44. Before You Begin Any of these Assessments
2. Have all the required materials ready:
• Data sheets
• Pen
• Potential reinforcers
• Gloves for edibles
• Tray, plates, etc. to present the stimuli simultaneously
3. Remove everything else (e.g. No phones, water bottles, or any
other unnecessary stimuli)
44

45. Before You Begin Any of these Assessments
2. Have all the required materials ready:
• Data sheets
• Pen
• Potential reinforcers
• Gloves for edibles
• Tray, plates, etc. to present the stimuli simultaneously
3. Remove everything else (e.g. No phones, water bottles, or any
other unnecessary stimuli)
45

46. Before You Begin Any of these Assessments
2. Have all the required materials ready:
• Data sheets
• Pen
• Potential reinforcers
• Gloves for edibles
• Tray and plates to present the stimuli simultaneously
3. Remove everything else (e.g. No phones, water bottles, or any
other unnecessary stimuli)
46

47. Before You Begin Any of these Assessments
3. Remove everything else (e.g. Phones, water
bottles, or any other unnecessary stimuli)
47

48. Now get ready to answer a few checkpoint
questions!
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