The effect of varied versus constant high-probability instructional sequences on cooperation

We examined the effects of varied versus constant high-probability (high-p) instructional sequences on cooperation with a low-probability (low-p) task. Three children diagnosed with autism participated. We first conducted an instruction identification phase to verify high-p and low-p instructions and then compared varied-to-constant high-p instructional sequences to improve cooperation with low-p instructions using reversal designs. The results of the study show that the varied high-p instructional sequence was more efficacious to increase cooperation with low-p instructions for one participant and that the varied and constant high-p instructional sequences were equally efficacious for the other two participants. We discuss the implications of these results for the use of the high-p instructional sequence in practice.