Functional analysis and treatment of noncompliance by preschool children.

Two preschoolers kept saying "no" when teachers asked them to do tasks.

The team ran a quick functional analysis. They tested if the kids refused because saying no let them escape to a favorite corner or toy.

Next they gave each child a coupon. Every time the child followed a request, he handed in a coupon and got five minutes with the preferred toy or area.

Both kids started complying right away.

The coupons flipped the contingency: work first, then play.

Carr et al. (1985) did the same thing 22 years earlier with older children. They paired hard work with strong reinforcers and saw the same jump in compliance. The 2007 study shows the idea still works for preschoolers.

Storch et al. (2012) tried to fix noncompliance by changing prompt timing. It helped only one child; the other two still needed extra reinforcement. That result lines up with the coupon study: some preschoolers need tangible pay-offs, not just better prompts.

Lloyd et al. (2017) later slid a five-minute functional analysis into small-group reading. They found the same escape-plus-tangible pattern the 2007 lab saw, proving you can spot the pay-off kids are chasing without pulling them out of class.

If a child dodes work to reach something fun, handing over a "work-first" coupon can turn the whole routine around in one session. Try it next time you see demand refusal tied to a favorite item. Start with three coupons, require one task per coupon, and watch compliance climb.