Incentives for Change

Incentives for Change
Motivating People with Autism Spectrum Disorders to Learn and Gain Independence

Lara Delmolino, Ph.D. & Sandra L. Harris, Ph.D.

About the Author

Lara Delmolino is a Research Assistant Professor at the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and Assistant Director for Research at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center at Rutgers. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

Sandra L. Harris is a Board of Governors Distinguished Service Professor Emerita at the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology and Department of Psychology at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center at Rutgers, which serves people with autism from toddlers through adults. Dr. Harris is also the editor of Woodbine House's Topics in Autism series and the co-author of the books Siblings of Children with Autism (2012), Reaching Out, Joining In (2001) and Right from the Start (2007).

Topics in Autism Buyer's Guide

As many parents and teachers know, people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) can be difficult to motivate, especially when asked to learn something new. Finding the right incentives to support learning is one of the crucial first steps in teaching them new skills. Written by two autism specialists with nearly 50 years combined experience, INCENTIVES FOR CHANGE explores systems for determining what incentives children and adults with ASD will find rewarding, and ways to use motivation as a tool to affect their learning and behavior.

This easy-to-follow guide explains a variety of motivational methods and systems, including how to:

Identify potential incentives

Transition from concrete to intangible incentives

Use reinforcements or rewards to increase motivation

Teach a child to demand or express what he wants

Understand "establishing operation" and other concepts that affect motivation

Motivate children with ASD to make choices

Implement token systems to enable children to delay reinforcement

Encourage independence and self-management skills

What skills and behaviors can be taught using the motivational techniques presented in this book? Parents and teachers will find methods for teaching a wide variety of social skills, such as interacting playfully with others and making eye contact, and life skills such as getting dressed and doing chores. These techniques can also help students with ASD learn academic subjects in school and control interfering behaviors like hand flapping or rocking back and forth.

INCENTIVES FOR CHANGE contains many real-life case studies of families who are using motivational systems in a variety of situations to help their child learn and gain a greater measure of independence. When put to use, these systems can enhance learning opportunities for every person on the autism spectrum from the youngest to the oldest, and from the least to most receptive to change.

Also by Sandra Harris:
Siblings of Children with Autism: A Guide for Families

Right from the Start: Behavioral Intervention for Young Children with Autism

Reaching Out, Joining In: Teaching Social Skills to Young Children with Autism