title: Assisting older adults with severe disabilities in expressing leisure preferences: a protocol for determining choice-making skills.
abstract: We evaluated a protocol involving two types of choice presentations for assessing leisure choice-making skills of seven older adults with severe disabilities. Initially when presented with pairs of objects representing choices, choice making was validated through demonstration of an object preference. A more complex choice-presentation format was then employed, involving pictures to represent choices. If the preference identified with objects was not demonstrated using pictures, a replication of the object format occurred to ensure changes in choice making using pictures was not due to a preference change. Five participants demonstrated choice-making skills using objects and two demonstrated choices using pictures. These results reflect the importance of assessing choice-making skills prior to presenting choice opportunities. Suggestions for future research focus on expanding the assessment protocol to include a wider array of choice-making skills and training staff to provide choices in a format commensurate with an individual's skill level.
authors.affiliation: Carolina Behavior Analysis and Support Center, Morganton 28680, USA.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.forename: V N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Reid
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003145:Communication Methods, Total; D003657:Decision Making; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly / Q000523:psychology*; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009735:Nursing Homes