Fading a concurrent activity during self‐control training for children with autism

We evaluated a modified technique for teaching self‐control and increasing the duration of waiting for access to a preferred item among 3 children with autism. Participants initially chose an immediate small reinforcer over a delayed large reinforcer and a delayed large reinforcer with a concurrent activity requirement for the duration of the delay. When the delay to the larger reinforcer with the concurrent activity requirement was gradually increased from 0 s to the terminal delay, participants switched to and maintained selection of that option, thereby demonstrating increased self‐control. Finally, the duration of the concurrent activity was gradually reduced without changing the duration of the delay to the large reinforcer. All 3 participants continued to select the delayed large reinforcer, showing self‐controlled responding in the absence of a concurrent activity.