Preferences in individuals with Angelman syndrome assessed by a modified Choice Assessment Scale.
A quick paper scale can map water and sensory likes in clients with Angelman syndrome.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Giallo et al. (2006) tested a paper scale called the Modified Choice Assessment Scale.
They gave it to people with Angelman syndrome.
The scale asks about likes, dislikes, and things that calm.
It adds new boxes for water play and things the person avoids.
What they found
The scale worked.
It showed clear likes, especially for water items.
Staff could see what each person wanted or wanted to avoid.
How this fits with other research
Rosenberg (1986) used a microswitch computer to find likes in clients with severe ID.
R et al. kept the same goal but swapped the screen for a paper form.
Heinicke et al. (2019) warn that pictures or videos can fail if the client lacks key skills.
R et al. side-step that risk by using caregiver report plus simple check boxes.
Heald et al. (2021) show that social reinforcers work better in some Angelman genotypes.
R et al. give you a quick way to spot those reinforcers before you test them.
Why it matters
You now have a five-minute scale that tells you what a client with Angelman wants and what calms them.
Use it during intake, then plug the top water or sensory items into your reinforcement menu.
No tech, no pictures, just paper and a caregiver who knows the client.
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Join Free →Print the Modified CAS, ask the caregiver to tick likes and calming items, then place the top water toy in your first teaching session.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Individuals with Angelman syndrome (AS) seem to have a strong preference for water-related items. Until present, preference assessment in AS has not been reported. METHODS: An adapted Dutch version of the Choice Assessment Scale (CAS) was administered by parents and other caregivers to 105 individuals with AS. The CAS was adapted by adding several items related to water and by adding a sub-scale describing activities and materials that individuals may avoid or escape. RESULTS: The five sub-scales and total scale of the modified CAS had good internal consistency. Water-related items were more often scored as preferred than non-water-related items. No associations were found between sub-scale and total scale scores and demographic characteristics (e.g. genetic subtype, age). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that people with AS often have strong preferences for water-related items. The modified CAS is a reliable and sensitive instrument to assess client preferences.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2006 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2005.00731.x