A further refinement of procedures addressing food selectivity

Russo et al. (2019) worked with two teens who had autism and ate fewer than ten foods each. The team used a changing-criterion design. Each week the boys had to eat a little more of a new food to earn screen time.

Bites started at pea-size and grew across sessions. Staff blocked turning away and praised swallowing. No new food was ever forced in.

Both teens added at least six new foods from every food group within eight weeks. They kept eating the new items one month later. Problem behavior at meals stayed low throughout.

The result lines up with Bloomfield et al. (2019). That study used the same changing-criterion steps through parent tele-coaching for a child with ARFID. Both papers show the step-size method works across ages and diagnoses.

Silbaugh et al. (2018) took a different path. When reinforcement alone failed for preschoolers, they added gentle physical guidance and saw quick gains. Russo kept reinforcement but dropped physical guidance, showing adolescents can progress without hands-on help.

Pubylski-Yanofchick et al. (2022) later extended the idea to an adult with autism. Positive reinforcement alone increased fruit and veggie intake, proving the shaping sequence is not just for kids.

You can copy the step-chart Monday. Pick one new food, cut the first bite to rice-grain size, and set a tiny weekly increase. Pair each swallow with a strong reinforcer like 30 s of a favorite video. The teen meets the rising goal without tears or restraint, and you get data that climb in clear steps.