The multiple‐stimulus‐without‐replacement preference assessment tool and its predictive validity
A free phone-based MSWO tool plus a five-minute reinforcer check quickly finds video rewards that actually work.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team tested a free online tool called the MSWO PAT. It shows kids short videos and records which ones they touch first.
After the quick pick test, each child got a five-minute conjugate check. The chosen video played only while the child worked on a simple task.
Seven children aged 3-11 took part. Researchers wanted to see if the tool’s top pick really worked as a reinforcer.
What they found
The tool’s first-choice video matched the best reinforcer in five out of seven kids. That’s a hit rate of about 70%.
The whole process, start to finish, took under ten minutes. No extra materials or data sheets were needed.
How this fits with other research
Curiel et al. (2020) built the web app but never tested if the picks actually worked. This 2024 study is the first to run that check.
Curiel et al. (2024) ran the same tool with preschoolers with autism and also got positive results. Together, the two 2024 papers show the tool works for both neurotypical kids and kids with ASD.
Matson et al. (2008) found teacher picks worked just as well as MSWO for typical students. The new tool saves teacher time while keeping the same accuracy.
Why it matters
You can now run a valid preference check on your phone in under ten minutes. Pick the top video, plug it into a conjugate schedule, and you have a reinforcer that is likely to work. No printing, no clipboards, no guessing.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This study demonstrates the use of two web-based programs, one to identify video preferences and the other to assess their reinforcing effects. We used the Multiple-Stimulus-Without-Replacement Preference Assessment Tool (MSWO PAT) to identify the video preference hierarchies of seven participants, ages 4-11 years old. We then used a customized reinforcer assessment program that arranged a concurrent-chains preparation with programmed conjugate schedules of reinforcement. Button presses emitted by participants modulated the quality (volume and opacity) of selected videos on a moment-to-moment basis, allowing us to identify the reinforcing effects of the videos in little time. The results showed that the preference assessment had predictive value for five of seven participants. We discuss the MSWO PAT, parameters that may affect the identification of preferences and the use of conjugate schedules to identify reinforcers.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2024 · doi:10.1002/jaba.1037