Step 1.5 Select reinforcers

Select reinforcers that are appropriate for the individual toddler, the task demands, and the target skill or behaviors.

The goal of reinforcement is to increase the likelihood that the toddler will use the target skill again in the future.

Positive reinforcement refers to the presentation of a reinforcer after a toddler uses a target skill/behavior. Positive reinforcement is generally the strategy that adults use first when trying to teach new skills or behaviors. The reinforcers selected should be highly motivating.

Positive reinforcers can be either primary or secondary.

Primary reinforcers are often naturally reinforcing to toddlers with ASD. Some examples include: food, liquids, and comfort.

However, the value of secondary reinforcers must be learned by pairing primary reinforcers with other types of reinforcement. Some examples of secondary reinforcers include: verbal praise, highly preferred activities, stickers, toys, and edibles. An example of pairing is saying to a toddler, “You did it!” and then the toddler gets a chance to play with a toy. Reinforcers should be highly motivating, naturally reinforcing, and tied to the activity or routine within which the target skill or behavior will be used by the toddler.

With chained skills and the graduated guidance procedure, the completion of the chain is ideally a reinforcer; however, for many learners this is not the case. Thus, additional reinforcers should be used at the end of the chain if this is needed.

Some positive reinforcers include:
  • access to a desired or preferred activity/favorite toy (e.g., special job, squishy ball, playing with cars, sand table) or social game (such as peek-a-boo or “so big”)
  • specific verbal praise (e.g. “You put the block in!”)
  • hugs or physical activity
  • access to the preferred food or drink

When choosing reinforcers, the EI team answers the following questions:

  1. What has motivated the toddler in the past?
  2. What does the toddler want that he/she can't easily get? This is called the toddler’s deprivation state.  For example, a toddler may continually request Goldfish crackers that are placed in a cupboard or on a high shelf; however, the EI provider or parent only gives the toddler the Goldfish crackers once a day. Because the toddler wants the Goldfish crackers, but cannot easily get them, this is considered his deprivation state.
  3. What reinforcer is appropriate for the target skill and routine or activity? The chosen reinforcer should be as natural as possible and it should be related to the chained routine or activity. For example, it would be natural for a toddler to have access to a preferred or desired activity/object (getting bubbles, listening to a favorite song) after taking part in a challenging activity (learning a play routine).

For more information about how to use positive reinforcement, please refer to the ASD Toddler Initiative module on Positive Reinforcement (ASD Toddler Initiative, 2013).