Evaluating the use of computerized stimulus preference assessments in foster care.
A short computerized Likert survey followed by on-screen pairs quickly finds true reinforcers for foster kids.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team built a two-step computer program for kids in foster care.
Step one: a quick 4-point smiley-face survey.
Step two: a tablet pairs pictures of items and records clicks.
They then let each child work for the top pick to see if it really worked as a reinforcer.
What they found
The survey-plus-pairs combo picked items that later increased correct answers on school tasks.
Computer scores matched real-life reinforcing power.
How this fits with other research
Chebli et al. (2016) got the same positive result with tablet videos for children with autism, showing the idea holds across groups.
Rosenberg (1986) did the first computerized test using microswitches for clients with severe ID; Whitehouse et al. (2014) now show the same principle works with a simple questionnaire interface.
Gaylord-Ross et al. (1995) warned that choice-based tests beat plain preference ranks for kids with visual impairments; the current study adds a twist by using a quick survey first, then a choice round, blending both ideas.
Why it matters
You can run the whole tool in five minutes on any desktop or tablet.
No bags of toys to carry, no paper lists to score.
Try it at intake to lock in potent reinforcers before problem behavior even shows up.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The purpose of these studies was to extend the use of stimulus preference assessments to children in foster care. In Study 1, subjects completed a computerized 4-point Likert-type questionnaire designed to assess preference for a wide range of stimuli and activities. Next, items identified as highly preferred (HP) and less preferred (LP) on the questionnaire were tested using a computerized paired-stimulus preference assessment. Results showed complete correspondence between the results of the computerized preference assessments for 11 of 17 subjects. Studies 2 and 3 evaluated whether the stimuli identified as HP in Study 1 would function as reinforcers. Overall, subjects allocated their engagement to HP items, and those HP items could be used as reinforcers for math problem completion. Collectively, these studies demonstrated that computerized preference assessments may be a feasible method of identifying preferences in the foster care system. Implications for their use in foster care are discussed.
Journal of applied behavior analysis, 2014 · doi:10.1002/jaba.148