Effects of preference on performing a self-care skill among children with autism spectrum disorder |
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| Authors: | Kimberly Duhanyan Jill M. Harper Nicole Heal |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Senior Director of Residential Services, Melmark New England, Andover, MA, USA;2. Director of Professional Development, Clinical Training, and Research, Melmark New England, Andover, MA, USA;3. The Margaret Murphy Centers for Children, Saco, ME, USA |
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| Abstract: | In this study, four children with autism were assessed to determine their preference choices for toothbrushes and toothpastes included during self-care skills teaching sessions. For two of the children, the presence of high-preference (HP) materials was associated with improved independent tooth brushing when compared to the presence of low-preference (LP) materials. There was no difference in independent tooth brushing between HP/LP conditions for the other two children. These findings suggest that preference and choice of materials alone can be a helpful instructional strategy for care providers serving children who have neurodevelopmental disorders and skill deficits. |
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| Keywords: | Autism choice preference self-care skills |
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