Graduation Year

2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.S.

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

Degree Granting Department

Child and Family Studies

Major Professor

Raymod Miltenberger, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Sarah Bloom, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Paige Talhelm, Ph.D.

Keywords

Autism spectrum disorder, Differential reinforcement, Extended response interval, Propt fading, Treatment assessment

Abstract

Identifying effective and efficient interventions is essential for establishing independent responding in learners with autism spectrum disorder and related developmental disabilities. The present study replicated and extended Gorgan and Kodak (2019) by comparing differential reinforcement, most-to-least prompt fading, and extended response interval procedures for teaching novel skills to three children with autism spectrum disorder who did not demonstrate prompt-dependent responding. Using an adapted alternating treatments design, each intervention was evaluated against a control condition with an equated opportunity interval. Extensions to prior research included conducting a reinforcer assessment to verify differentiation in stimulus potency, modifying the controlling prompt assessment to identify both prompt type and prompt delay, equating opportunity intervals during the control and extended response interval conditions, and conducting a social validity assessment to evaluate correspondence between the most effective and efficient intervention and learner preference. Results indicated that the prompt-fading intervention was the most effective and efficient strategy for two learners who met mastery criteria and social validity outcome corresponded with intervention efficacy for the one participant assessed. In contrast, no instructional procedure was effective in increasing independent responding for the third participant. Findings extend the literature on treatment assessments for skill-acquisition interventions and may inform practitioner decision-making when selecting strategies to increase independent responding.

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