Increasing Food Acceptance in the School Setting for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Using High Probability Requests Sequences

Abstract

Behavioral feeding difficulties occur at a high rate in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and can have a serious impact on their overall health and development. Although there are a number of studies demonstrating effective strategies for addressing behavioral feeding difficulties in children with ASD, the majority of them have been conducted in clinical settings. High probability (high-p) request sequences have been used as an antecedent intervention to increase compliance, appropriate behavior, social interactions, decrease stereotypy, self injurious behavior, increase compliance to academic tasks, increase communication skills, and in interventions to increase food acceptance and consumption. This evidence-based intervention has been demonstrated to be effective in both clinical and applied (e.g., school) settings. The current study investigated the efficacy of high probability request sequences, an easy to implement, school-based behavioral feeding treatment. In the study food related and non-food related high probability requests sequences were compared for efficacy. The participants in the study were three children with ASD that had parent and teacher reported feeding difficulties. Results suggested that school-based high probability response sequences were extremely effective for 2 of the 3 participants. Consumers were very positive about the intervention.