A prework assessment of task preferences among adults with autism beginning a supported job.

Lattimore et al. (2002) ran a quick paired-task test with three adults with autism.

Each worker tried two tasks side-by-side before their shift.

The team wanted to see if the short test could pick both single favorites and a love of switching tasks.

The test clearly showed each adult’s top single task.

Two adults did not pick task switching, even when the test offered it.

The paired format works for finding one favorite job, not for spotting a taste for variety.

Walsh et al. (2020) built on this idea with a tablet app for adults who also have intellectual disability. Their tech version still finds high-preference jobs and shows those jobs lift performance even when skill match is low.

Isenhower et al. (2025) stretched the same logic to leisure. They broke activities into social, electronic, and movement parts, then matched adults to their favorite mix. Engagement doubled and problem behavior dropped.

Castelluccio et al. (2019) conceptually replicated the approach but aimed it at break rooms. A simple picture test picked breaks that truly worked as reinforcers, echoing Perry’s core finding that a brief preference probe pays off.

You can copy the paired-task trick at the job site tomorrow. Spend five minutes before a shift letting the worker sample two real tasks. The one they touch first is likely their favorite. Use that task to fill most of their schedule, then probe switching only if you see signs of boredom. This keeps the method simple, fast, and respectful of client choice.