Introduction To Preference Assessment
Preference assessment is a systematic way to reliably identify things that will increase a person’s motivation and enjoyment. Preference assessment is especially valuable for individuals without expressive language, and can be adapted for persons with profound disabilities. Choice options can be presented to individuals in various ways (e.g. as objects, pictures, videos) depending on what is appropriate to the context and the person’s understanding. Effective use of preference assessment can promote an individual’s quality of life and self-determination, and identify positive reinforcers for use in teaching situations.
The various methods of preference assessment each have their own strengths and weaknesses, and each must be done carefully to ensure a believable result. These materials, prepared by the Knowledge Translation in Developmental Disabilities (KATYDID) team at St.Amant and the University of Manitoba, are designed to help users choose an appropriate preference assessment method, and then perform the method correctly and reliably.
Single Stimulus Preference Assessment Form
Preference Assessment Decision Tree Attachment
Pairwise Preference Assessment Form
Multiple Stimulus without Replacement