When a high-probability request sequence is not helping, pause interpretation and check communication access, pain, fatigue, sensory conditions, request screening, repetition, response effort, consequence quality, task clarity, partner timing, prompts, and the fit of the later request. The chosen actions may no longer be high probability, or the procedure may add burden. Reassess the goal and consider choice, task changes, direct teaching, environmental repair, or another support.
Review why a high-probability request sequence is not helping
Confirm that the person heard or saw each request, had the required tools, could perform the response, and had a valid opportunity. Compare current request probabilities with the original screen. Ask the person and family what changed.
Check repetition and consequences
In the variant-sequence study, a repeated pool produced initial increases that did not maintain, while varied sequences maintained measured increases for the participants. The momentum study also examined reinforcer quality. These findings support specific hypotheses rather than a universal repair.
Reconsider the later request
The later task may be painful, unsafe, unclear, too large, poorly timed, inaccessible, or outside the person's goal. A sequence of familiar actions cannot repair every mismatch. Route medical, sensory, motor, communication, and clinical questions to the appropriately qualified role.
Keep choice and safety active
The Ethics Code addresses medical needs, assessment, client involvement, assent when applicable, risk, and evaluation. ASHA supports continuous communication access. The BACB outline covers contextual fit and unwanted-effect mitigation.
A practical example
Jules completes two warm-up actions in only 3/8 current opportunities, down from 7/8 during screening. Review finds the requests now occur after a tiring commute. The team moves the task, offers a break first, and reassesses rather than adding more requests.
Questions families can use
Are the warm-ups still high probability? What changed in health, setting, time, partner, or consequence? Is the later task accessible and meaningful? Which simpler environmental fix should be tested?
Sources
- Behavior Analyst Certification Board, BCBA Test Content Outline, 6th edition
- Shillingsburg and colleagues, Increasing Compliance With Medical Examination Requests Directed to Children With Autism
- Davis and Reichle, Variant and Invariant High-Probability Requests
- Mace and colleagues, Effects of Reinforcer Quality on Behavioral Momentum
- Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Finni resources
