Preference Assessments Part 1: Surveys

Can you imagine working your booty off at your 9 to 5, forty hours a week, for two weeks straight, and then when payday rolls around you are paid with…stickers?! Now, if you are a serious sticker collector and these are rare vintage stickers, that may be one thing. But the majority of us are not only going to be disappointed, we’re going to be straight-up mad, and we’re certainly not going to do our job as well (or at all) moving forward.

In order to motivate our children to follow directions, complete tasks, and generally just participate in preferred behaviors, we must first identify WHAT motivates them. We often see parents assuming all children are motivated by stickers or candy or toys. The truth is all children are difference and what motivates one child may not work for the next. AND what works for one child in one situation may not work for that same child in the next situation. Think about it this way: I may be motivated to go to Pilates because I know it’s next to Starbucks and I’m going to get a Caramel Brulee Latte afterwards. However, I’m not motivated to write a behavior plan for a school system in exchange for a Caramel Brulee Latte. Even though the CBL is motivating to me in one situation, does not mean that it is motivating is all situations. So in order to motivate our children, we need to not only do we need to determine not only our children preferences, but we also need to determine their reinforcers.

You may be thinking, “but I already know what motivates my child.” This may be true, but more often than not we see that parents assume they know or that they are using preferred items that aren’t actually reinforcing items. We also see parents using the same reinforcers over and over and their children getting burnt out on those, thus causing the reinforcing properties to diminish. If you can relate to any of this, it is probably time to consider using an evidence-based tool known as a preference assessment.

There are many types of preference assessments. Some are more formal than others. The one you select is going to depend on a several variables, including how much spare time you have, your child’s age, and your child’s level of need.

A simple survey or interview may be the option you choose. All you do here is ask your child, your co-parent, their teachers, their grandparents, or their babysitters to identify what items or activities they seem to like. Be sure to think outside of the box and include not only tangible items, but also people, places, objects, and activities they enjoy.

Your survey may look very difference depending on your child’s age and level of need. If your child is a four-year old who doesn't yet read, you may choose to use pictures or asking her questions. If your child is a ten-year old who is completely independent in reading, writing, and technology-use, you may send him a Survey Monkey or another online tool, and your questions may look something like this:

What is your favorite candy?

Who is your favorite friend?

If you could do your homework anywhere in our home, where would it be?

Do you prefer watching tv or playing outside?

Whichever type of survey you choose, you'll want to tailor it based on your individual child.

Stay tuned to learn about more types of preference assessments!