The use of a preference assessment tool with young children diagnosed with autism
A quick online MSWO tool spots video reinforcers that boost work for most preschoolers with autism.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Three preschoolers with autism watched short video clips on a free web tool.
The tool ranks the clips from most to least liked using an MSWO layout.
Kids then worked on puzzles and sorting tasks while the top videos played as rewards.
What they found
Two of the three children finished more work when their top video played.
The tool picked winners, but one child did not care about any video.
How this fits with other research
Curiel et al. (2024) ran almost the same study with seven kids and got the same good result.
Matson et al. (2008) found teacher picks work just as well as MSWO for typical grade-school kids.
Goulardins et al. (2013) warn that likes can drift after a few months, so re-check often.
Why it matters
You can grab the free MSWO PAT, spend five minutes, and walk away with a list of video reinforcers.
Try the top clip first in your next table-time task.
If the child stalls, swap in the next clip or re-run the tool in two weeks.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Open the MSWO PAT site, let your client pick videos, and use the first-place clip as a reward during tabletop work.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
AbstractIdentifying reinforcers is crucial for many evidence‐based behavior change programs. Videos may be a type of reinforcer worth considering given the accessibility of small electronic devices and the rates at which children watch and enjoy screen time. We used the Multiple‐Stimulus‐Without‐Replacement Preference Assessment Tool (MSWO PAT) to identify high‐ and low‐preferred videos for three children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We then evaluated the predictive validity of the MSWO PAT by arranging a concurrent‐operants reinforcer assessment for puzzle and sorting tasks. The results show that the high‐preferred video maintained higher levels of responding for puzzle and sorting tasks for two of the three children. Implications for using videos as reinforcers for children with ASD, limitations, and areas for future research are also discussed.
Behavioral Interventions, 2024 · doi:10.1002/bin.2047