Evaluation of a lag schedule of reinforcement in a group contingency to promote varied naming of categories items with children

Two children with autism named as many items as they could in a category.

The team used a progressive lag schedule. The child had to give a new answer each time.

When the lag schedule alone was not enough, the therapist added tact-priming.

For one child, the lag schedule alone made answers more varied.

For the other child, adding tact-priming was needed before answers changed.

Both kids ended up giving more different items than at the start.

Olin et al. (2020) used lag schedules plus echoic prompts and visual aids. They asked social questions instead of category items. Their autistic kids also gave more varied answers.

Wiskow et al. (2018) tested the same lag-plus-prompt idea with typically developing preschoolers. They swapped tact-priming for simple rules. The rules worked just as well.

Jones et al. (2010) used a lag-3 schedule to make block play more varied. The pattern is the same: lag schedules boost variety across tasks and kids.

Start every variability program with a Lag-1 schedule. Watch the data. If variety stays flat after two sessions, add tact-priming. This two-step plan saves time and keeps therapy fun for the child.