Below is a general skill sequence for developing the learner’s first relationships with their peers.
The upcoming skill area is designed to foster the social development of the learner, specifically in their interactions with peers. Beyond just making peers a source of reinforcement, it's pivotal to transform them into an avenue to reinforcement. While a comprehensive pairing process is in place, it's not uncommon for some learners to initially show disinterest in their peers. However, this presents an opportunity to condition peers as conduits to the things the learner desires. The programs outlined below aim to position the peer as both a helper and an advocate for the learner. As a prerequisite to introducing this skill set, the learner must first be able to effectively mand with a paired adult for items, attention, escape, and locations.
How this skill area relates to your assessments!
This skill area aligns with various assessments and their respective domains, with milestone and domain codes provided for reference. Additionally, DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for Autism are included to help clinicians identify how this skill area potentially supports medical necessity in relation to the diagnosis.
VB-MAPP (Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program)
Social Behavior and Social Play, SBSP 7-M, Spontaneously mands to peers 5 times (e.g., My
turn, Push me, Look! Come On.) . (timed observation 60 minutes)
Social Behavior and Social Play, SBSP 8-M, Engages in sustained social play with peers for 3
minutes without adult prompts or reinforcement (e.g., cooperatively setting up a play set, water play) (timed observation 30 minutes)
Mand, M 15-M, Mands for others to attend to his own verbal behavior at least 5 times.
AFLS (Assessment of Functional Living Skills)
Basic Communication, BC4, Spontaneous requests for items and activities
Leisure, LS20, Engage w/variety of partners
Leisure, LS23, Invites others to join leisure activity
DSM-V Diagnostic Criteria for Autism
A3, Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships, ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts; to difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to absence of interest in peers.
CDC’s Developmental Milestones
4 years, Social/Emotional Milestones, Asks to go play with children if none are around, like “Can I play with Alex?”
5 years, Social/Emotional Milestones, Follows rules or takes turns when playing games
with other children
Treatment Plan Goal Ideas
This is a list of treatment plan goals. These are different from the goals you will find in the skill sequence below. Your treatment plan goals encompass any number of goals from the skill sequence. Sometime they will include multiple goals from the sequence (”Learner will label 5 toys”) and sometimes the treatment plan goal will be simply consist of a really important goal from the skill sequence (”Will label caregiver”). An analogy I like to use goes as follows: Each skill sequence goal (commonly known as a “target”) represent each stair in a flight of stairs. The treatment plan goal is the flight itself.
Treatment plan goal ideas for this particular skill area are as follows:
Learner will accept high value item from peer when offered.
Learner will mand to peer for a preferred item or activity.
Learner will give a high value item or activity to a peer when asked.
Learner will mand to peer to go to a specific location or direction.
Component Skills
Your learner may need to be fluent in these component skills first before introducing this goal/skill area. Component skills for this skill sequence may include skill areas that are fundamental to other areas. Fluency in the skill areas listed below may increase the likelihood that your learner will succeed in this skill sequence and those afterward.
Below is a possible skill sequence for working on increasing your learner’s ability to interact with peers. Note that every learner is different and that you likely will need to tweak and vary some programming to their needs. Click the triangle icon to view the full description for each skill in the sequence/area.
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Peer comes to learner, offers edible
How to Run
Take note of learners most preferred edibles.
Arrange for a peer to non-contingently and randomly drop off an edible frequently throughout your session
Peer should come to the learner and give them the edible.
Learner should take the edible, given that they are motivated to do so.
If they are not, the peer can leave the edible next to the learner.
Therapist should make sure to draw the learner’s attention to the peer as they drop it off.
Additional Notes
Materials
Preferred edibles
Research/Resources
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Peer comes to learner, offers high value item
How to Run
Take note of learners most preferred items.
Arrange for a peer to non-contingently and randomly drop off one of these items (or many of them) frequently throughout your session
Peer should come to the learner and give them the item.
Learner should take the item, given that they are motivated to do so.
If they are not, the peer can leave the item next to the learner.
Therapist should make sure to draw the learner’s attention to the peer as they drop it off.
Additional Notes
It may be important to restrict access to these high value items in other activities so that they are only available through the peer—this may add value to them (and the peer).
Materials
Preferred items
Research/Resources
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Peer sits adjacent to learner as learner engages in high value (parallel)
How to Run
Allow the learner to engage with a high value item or activity.
Have a peer sit next to them as they do so and watch.
If the peer cannot sit and watch, allow the peer to engage with a preferred activity or item of their own while seated next to them.
Have the peer next to the learner throughout the duration of the activity.
Additional Notes
It may be important to restrict access to these high value items in other activities so that they are only available with the peer next to the learner. This can increase the peer’s value as it pairs them with the high value activity.
Materials
Preferred items/activities
Research/Resources
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Peer removes learner from lesser preferred environment
How to Run
Have the learner engage in a lesser/task/moderately preferred activity and/or environment.
Arrange for a peer to come and get the learner and remove them from the environment.
Peer should come to the peer, ask the therapist if the learner can leave, and then escort the learner to a more preferred area with more preferred activities.
Ex: “Can David come to the play room with me?”
Therapist should enthusiastically allow the learner to go with the peer.
Additional Notes
Materials
Research/Resources
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Peer provides access to high value after task
How to Run
Have the learner engage in a task or series of task activities.
Arrange for a peer to deliver the reinforcer contingent on the learner completing the task.
Once the learner completes the task, ensure that the peer delivers the reinforcement—whether that be an item or activity.
Ensure that the peer praises the learner as well.
Additional Notes
Materials
Research/Resources
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Peer provides access to out of reach item
How to Run
Arrange for a preferred item to be out of the reach of the learner.
Draw the attention of the learner to the item that is out of reach.
Immediately petition the help of a capable and preselected peer to retrieve the item.
Have the peer give the item to the learner.
Additional Notes
Materials
Preferred item
Peer(s) that are capable of reaching things or getting things the learner cannot.
Research/Resources
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Peer provides access to out of sight item
How to Run
Arrange for a preferred item to be out of the sight of the learner.
Draw the attention of the learner to the item that is out of sight. “Where is your iPad?”
Immediately petition the help of a capable and preselected peer to “find” the item with the learner
The peer should locate the item.
The peer should give the item to the learner.
Additional Notes
Materials
Preferred item
Peer(s) that are capable of scanning and finding things the learner cannot.
Research/Resources
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Peer provides access to electronic device
How to Run
Prepare a preferred electronic device (computer, tablet, phone) with a password unknown to the learner.
Give access to the device.
When the learner recognizes that it is password protected (or that the password isn’t working), therapist should petition the help of a peer who knows the password.
Peer should come over and enter the password.
Peer should allow the learner access to the device once the password is entered.
Additional Notes
Materials
Preferred electronic device with password
Peer(s) that knows and is able to enter the password to the device.
Research/Resources
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Peer mands for learner
How to Run
In instances where a learner is motivated for an item or activity, arrange for a peer to be present.
Have the peer mand for the learner. “Can David have the iPad?”
Give the peer the item.
Peer should then hand the preferred item to the learner.
Additional Notes
Materials
Preferred item(s)
Peer(s) that can vocally mand.
Research/Resources
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Peer appeals denied access for learner
How to Run
In instances where a learner is motivated for an item or activity, arrange for a peer to be present.
Therapist should have the learner mand for the item/activity that they are motivated for.
Therapist should initially deny access to the item or activity.
Peer should “intervene” and appeal the therapist’s denial. “Can David please have the iPad?”
Give the peer the item.
Peer should then hand the preferred item to the learner.
Additional Notes
Materials
Preferred item(s)
Peer(s) that can vocally mand.
Research/Resources
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Peer appeals denied escape for learner
How to Run
In instances where a learner is engaged in a lesser preferred activity and likely motivated to escape the activity, arrange for a peer to be present
Therapist should have the learner ask to leave the activity. “Can I be done with my worksheet?”
Therapist should initially deny escape. “No, sorry, you need to keep working?”
Peer should “intervene” and appeal the therapist’s denial of escape. “Can David please be done with his worksheet?”
Therapist should allow the learner to escape the task.
Additional Notes
Materials
Task items (if applicable)
Peer(s) that can vocally mand.
Research/Resources
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Peer appeals denied escape for learner
How to Run
In instances where a learner is engaged in a lesser preferred activity and likely motivated to escape the activity, arrange for a peer to be present
Therapist should have the learner ask to leave the activity. “Can I be done with my worksheet?”
Therapist should initially deny escape. “No, sorry, you need to keep working?”
Peer should “intervene” and appeal the therapist’s denial of escape. “Can David please be done with his worksheet?”
Therapist should allow the learner to escape the task.
Additional Notes
Materials
Task items (if applicable)
Peer(s) that can vocally mand.
Research/Resources
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Learner mands to peer for access
How to Run
Place a high value item in the possession of a peer.
Note to the learner that the peer has the preferred item.
Given that the learner is motivated for it, they should mand/request the item from the peer.
Peer should provide immediate access.
Additional Notes
Materials
Preferred item(s)
Peer(s)
Research/Resources
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Learner mands to peer for attention
How to Run
Place a high value item in the possession of a peer.
Contrive a situation where the peer seems to be distracted or heavily engaged with the item.
Note to the learner that the peer has the preferred item.
Learner should mand for attention via using the peer’s name, waving to them, or tapping them on the shoulder (or similar) depending on their communication level.
Peer should acknowledge learner.
Learner should mand for the preferred item.
Peer should provide immediate access.
Additional Notes
Materials
Preferred item(s)
Peer(s)
Research/Resources
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Learner hands neutral item to peer
How to Run
Place a neutral value item in the possession of the learner.
Arrange for a peer to approach the learner and ask for it.
Learner should hand over the neutral value item once it is asked for.
Additional Notes
Materials
Neutral value item(s)
Peer(s)
Research/Resources
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Learner mands to peer for direction/location during transition
How to Run
Arrange for a high value item or activity to be in a different room or location.
Ensure that the learner is motivated for the location.
Arrange for a peer to approach the learner and ask them where they want to go.
Learner should mand for the location or direction to where they want to go. “I want to go to the playroom.” OR “Lets go this way!”
Peer should walk with them to the location to retrieve the preferred item or activity.
Additional Notes
If the distance of the transition is extensive enough, have the peer ask the learner which way they want to go or which direction. “Should we go this way or that way?”
Materials
High value item/activity(s)
Peer(s)
Research/Resources
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Rolls car/ball back and forth with peer
How to Run
Have peer sit across from the learner at a table or at a distance of 10 feet on the floor.
Have the peer push a car to the learner or roll a ball to the learner.
Leearner should recipricate by pushing the car/ball back to the peer.
Follow this process for 10 exchanges/turns.
Reinforce accordingly.
Additional Notes
Materials
Ball and/or small toy car(s)
Peer(s)
Research/Resources
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Learner hands high value item to peer
How to Run
Place a high value item in the possession of the learner.
Arrange for a peer to approach the learner and ask for it.
Learner should hand over the high value item once it is asked for.
Additional Notes
Materials
High value item(s)
Peer(s)
Research/Resources
Concurrent Skills
Working on these skills at the same time could help with goal mastery. Maybe your learner has mastered these skills already. Perhaps they are already listed as component skills above. That’s okay! Targeting other learning channels might help your learner.
These are the possible next steps for learners who have mastered, or are mastering, the skills listed above. Note that new skill areas may require fluency in other component skills not listed above. Also, you can introduce composite skill sequences prematurely to keep your learner progressing, as generativity may occur earlier than expected.
Follow the link below to better understand component-composite analysis.
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Research and Resources
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Disclaimer
Consistent with ethical obligations outlined by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB), users acknowledge that goal selection/direction is the responsibility of the BCBA. Users understand that goals should be tailored to the learner while ultimately involving the input of clients/stakeholders. Users understand their ethical obligations to the client/stakeholder concerning the selection, implementation, design, and minimization of risk regarding behavior change interventions as outlined in BACB Code. As such, this skill sequence serves as a general framework for generating ideas around this particular skill area and not as an assessment or curriculum.
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Intro to Reinforcer/Preference Expansion
Single Actions with Common Toys
Intro to Manding
Mands for Escape
Manding for Attention
Manding for Locations
Mands for Missing Items
Game Play: Memory
Greetings (Non-Verbal) 
Approaching Others When Asked
Intro to Taking Turns