Effects of Providing Choice Opportunities in a Learning Situation on the Off-Task Behavior of Children With Severe Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

Study objective: Examination of effects of providing choice opportunities in a learning situation on the off-task behavior of children with severe intellectual disabilities. It was hypothesized that (a) off-task behavior would be reduced by effects of the choice itself, and (b) off-task behavior would be reduced when more than 1 choice opportunity was provided. Design: Alternating treatment design with 3 conditions: no choice (0C), 1 choice (1C), and 2 choices (2C) The no-choice condition was the yoked control for the 2-choices condition. Setting: A room in the participants’ home or a classroom. Participants: 4 children with severe intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorders, 6 to 14 years old. Independent variable: Number of choice opportunities (0 to 2). Measure: Off-task percentage measured by the 5-second partial interval recording method. Results: The percentage of intervals that were off-task in the 2-choice condition was lower than that in the no-choice (yoked control) condition in 3 of the 4 participants. Conclusions: Having choices in itself may have resulted in a reduction in the off-task percentage. Although effects of the number of choice opportunities were not clear, it was suggested that effects of having choice opportunities may have been influenced by variables that control choice behavior.