Relative preferences for edible and leisure stimuli in children with autism: A replication in Italy

Slanzi and colleagues ran a multiple-stimulus preference test with Italian children with autism.

They lined up edible snacks and local leisure items such as soccer cards and wooden toys.

Each child could pick one item at a time; the team recorded which group—food or play—rose to the top.

For almost half the kids, a leisure item beat every snack on the table.

Cultural toys scored especially high, hinting that local playthings can outrank candy.

Conine et al. (2019) saw the same test in the United States and still found edibles on top. The Italian kids flipped the order, showing culture can nudge preference.

Sipila‐Thomas et al. (2021) added a twist: edibles sometimes shove leisure items aside mid-session. Their data remind us to rotate choices even when toys look like winners.

Lucock et al. (2020) and Ortega et al. (2012) also saw leisure beat edibles, but in adults with dementia. The pattern looks opposite of Conine et al. (2019), yet the age and diagnosis differ, so the findings sit side-by-side, not in conflict.

Next time you run a preference assessment, drop in a few culturally familiar toys along with the cookies. If leisure tops the list, use those items first for breaks and reinforcement. Keep edibles handy—about one in six kids may still shift back to snacks once the session starts.