To Avoid Satiation:

Examples:

• Have a menu of reinforcers ready.

After conducing reinforcer sampling, observation, and/or interest inventory keep on hand a number of the reinforcers identified.

• Vary reinforcers for a skill or behavior or use different reinforcers for each skill or behavior.

If the toddler very much enjoys tickles and silly faces, alternate tickles or silly faces when providing reinforcement for a skill/behavior. If the same toddler also enjoys pretzels, consider keeping pretzels as reinforcer for snack time and tickles are reinforcers for playtime.

• Teach skills or behaviors during several short sessions rather than one long session.

Several short sessions helps to ensure that the toddler won’t tire of the reinforcer before he has enough opportunities to practice the skill/behavior.

• Avoid using edibles. If they must be used, use a variety

Edibles (a primary reinforcer) should be used only when other reinforcers have not been identified or if the edible is a natural reinforcer (e.g., the toddler requests juice then juice is provided).

If used, various types should be used and they should be paired with other types of reinforcement.

• Shift from primary reinforcers to secondary reinforcers as soon as possible and pair them from the beginning

Since toddlers with ASD are less likely than their typically developing peers to value secondary reinforcers, pair these with more valued reinforcers from the beginning. As the toddler becomes more motivated by secondary reinforcer, fade the primary reinforcer.

• If toddler does lose interest in reinforcer, choose a new one.

If the toddler stops using the skill or behavior after mastering it or shows disinterest in reinforcer, change it. An inventory or reinforcer sampling may need to be repeated if no other reinforcers are immediately apparent.