The Effects of a High-Probability Request Sequencing Technique in Enhancing Transition Behaviors.

Abstract In this study, an autism support teacher used a high-probability request sequencing technique to help a middle-school student with autism engage in three transition behaviors. High probability request sequencing refers to a procedure in which 2 to 3 preferred questions, highly associated with compliance, are rapidly given before presenting a low probability demand likely to result in noncompliance. An ABAB design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. The intervention reduced the number of minutes required to complete transition behaviors. In addition, the teacher provided fewer prompts during the intervention phases. KEY WORDS. autism, high-p request sequencing, transitions, verbal prompts. ********** As the incidence of students with autism continues to rise (Nelson & Snow-Huefner, 2003), the number of students with autism attending public schools with subsequent instructional problems are likely to increase in such settings. Transitioning from one activity to another is one challenge that poses a significant problem for many children with autism (Marks et al., 2003). Children with autism often display tantrums or noncompliance when confronted with environmental changes (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) possibly resulting in transition problems. Transition difficulties may be due to the children's resistance to change of activities, confusion resulting from unpredictability, escape or avoidance of undesirable tasks, and attempts to reestablish a terminated activity (Carr & Durand, 1985; Davis, Reichle, & Southard, 2000; Earles, Carlson, & Bock, 1998; Marks et al., 2003; Volkmar, 1996). Difficulties with transitions sometimes lead to severe problems including aggression, noncompliance, crying and other inappropriate behaviors (Schreibman, Whalen, & Stahmer, 2000). Several interventions have increased appropriate transition behaviors in students with autism including video priming (Schreibman et al., 2000), activity scheduling (Dooley, Wilczenski, & Torem, 2000), visual prompting (Dettmer, Simpson, Myles, & Ganz, 2000), photographic cueing (Schmit, Alper, & Raschke, 2000), verbal cueing (Tustin, 1995), and teaching transition routines at the beginning of the academic year (Gettinger, 1988). High-probability or high-p interventions have also proven successful for increasing transition behaviors for students with and without disabilities and may increase transition behaviors for students with autism (Banda, Neisworth, & Lee, 2003). A high-p intervention involves rapidly presenting 2-3 easy high-p tasks, with which a child has a history of compliance before presenting a difficult or low-probability (low-p) tasks (Davis & Brady, 1993; Mace et al., 1988; Mace, Mauro, Boyajian, & Eckert, 1997). Compliance with an easy-hard task sequence appears to reduce resistance to compliance with difficult tasks thereby establishing momentum within a group or response class of behaviors (Belfiore, Lee, Scheeler, & Klein, 2002). The research literature shows high-p sequences can increase transition behaviors in students with and without disabilities. Ardoin, Martens, and Wolfe (1999) conducted a study with three typically developing children to increase compliance during school transitions. The transition behaviors selected were getting in quiet position, clearing desks, and taking out pencils. The investigators first presented high-p instructions to a large group of children and recorded data on compliance of three targeted children. Ardoin et al. (1999) also examined whether or not high-p instructions could be faded. Results showed that high-p instructions increased transitions for two children but were not effective with the third child. Similarly, Davis et al. (2000) compared two interventions, high-p request sequences and a preferred item as a distracter, for two children with developmental disabilities in an attempt to improve transitions. …