Effects of a High‐Probability Request Sequence on Visual Orienting and Instructional Accuracy in a Young Child With Autism
Three fast high-p requests right before the hard instruction nearly doubled eye contact for one autistic preschooler.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team worked with one preschooler with autism. They wanted better eye contact and correct answers during table work.
They used an alternating-treatments design. Some trials started with three easy, high-probability requests. Other trials went straight to the hard instruction.
High-p requests were quick actions the child already liked. The hard instruction was a new receptive-discrimination task.
What they found
When three high-p requests came first, the child looked at the teacher almost twice as often.
Correct answers also rose, though the jump was smaller than the eye-contact gain.
The effect showed up right away and stayed while the sequence was used.
How this fits with other research
Older studies already proved the sequence boosts compliance. Borgen et al. (2017) stacked high-p instructions and saw all four autistic preschoolers follow tough demands. Rosales et al. (2021) got mixed results: two kids complied, one needed extra reinforcement. Sarokoff adds eye contact to the list of benefits.
Pierce et al. (1994) warned timing matters. They found a 5-second gap between high-p and low-p kept compliance high, while 20 seconds dropped it. The new study kept the gap short, matching that advice.
Sheppard et al. (2026) shows limits. They used the same 2026 high-p logic at lunch tables, but two of three autistic kids still refused new foods. The sequence helps orienting and compliance, yet it does not guarantee feeding gains.
Why it matters
If a preschool client looks away during DTT, slip in three quick wins before the target instruction. The child’s eyes—and maybe correct responses—should rise on the very next trial. Keep the pause under five seconds and watch data to be sure the boost holds.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
ABSTRACT This study evaluated the effects of a high‐probability (high‐p) request sequence on visual orienting to the instructor and response accuracy during discrete trial teaching (DTT) for a 3.5‐year‐old child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). High‐p sequences involve presenting several simple, high‐likelihood responses prior to a task less likely to be completed (low‐probability; low‐p task). Although high‐p procedures have demonstrated effectiveness in increasing compliance, few studies have examined their effects on observing responses or instructional accuracy. Using an alternating treatments design, we compared visual orienting (defined as eyes open and gaze directed toward the instructor's face for at least 1 s within 5 s prior to S D delivery) and response accuracy across conditions with and without a high‐p sequence. The high‐p condition was associated with consistently higher levels of visual orienting ( M = 85%) compared to the low‐p condition ( M = 36%), with minimal data overlap. Response accuracy was higher in the high‐p condition ( M = 72%) relative to the low‐p condition ( M = 57%), although overlap and variability were observed. These findings provide preliminary evidence that high‐p sequences may increase observing responses that support instructional readiness. Limitations related to the identification and measurement of high‐p instructions are discussed.
Behavioral Interventions, 2026 · doi:10.1002/bin.70086