Lag schedules to increase variability in responding in a home setting
Lag schedules plus a few written prompts give you an easy home tool for flexible teen talk.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Parilla et al. (2023) worked with one autistic teen at home.
They used a lag schedule plus short scripted prompts.
The goal was more varied social answers during daily routines.
What they found
The teen’s social answers became more flexible and different.
The change showed up in everyday home spots like the kitchen.
Results stayed while the team kept score.
How this fits with other research
Olin et al. (2020) got the same boost with younger kids using echoic prompts and pictures.
Cohrs et al. (2017) first mixed lag schedules with social skills groups for little kids.
Parilla moves the idea into the teen years and the living room.
All studies point to the same core rule: reward a new response each time and variety grows.
Why it matters
You can copy this at home right away. Pick one daily routine like snack chat. Write three short scripts on an index card. Run a Lag 1 schedule: praise any answer that differs from the last one. You will see flexible social answers grow without extra toys or tablets.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
AbstractSeveral studies have demonstrated that lag schedules can be used to increase variability in controlled settings. In this study, we replicated these procedures during regular home applied behavior analysis services using available resources with an adolescent with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The participant had learned multiple responses to questions but responded with little to no variability. The intervention included scripted prompts and lag schedules implemented across social contexts in a multiple baseline design. The scripted prompts assisted the participant in varying his responding and assisted the interventionists in monitoring and accurately implementing the lag schedule intervention. Results showed a systematic increase in varied responses across multiple social contexts, suggesting that lag schedules can be implemented with positive effects in naturalistic therapy settings.
Behavioral Interventions, 2023 · doi:10.1002/bin.1923