Higher levels of performance during skill acquisition predict higher levels of response maintenance, but less is known about how many observations of high levels of performance are needed to produce this effect of criterion levels. We analyzed two criterion-level frequency values, or the number of observations of criterion-level performance. We taught children with disabilities target skills to 90% accuracy observed one time or across three consecutive sessions/days. Participants required fewer sessions to meet the terminal acquisition-performance criterion when the frequency value was set to one and response maintenance outcomes were comparable between conditions. These outcomes suggest that the frequency component of acquisition-performance criterion is related to the efficiency of skill acquisition for participants with comparable repertoires.

Several studies have demonstrated that lag schedules can be used to increase variability in controlled settings. In this study, we replicated these procedures during regular home applied behavior analysis services using available resources with an adolescent with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The participant had learned multiple responses to questions but responded with little to no variability. The intervention included scripted prompts and lag schedules implemented across social contexts in a multiple baseline design. The scripted prompts assisted the participant in varying his responding and assisted the interventionists in monitoring and accurately implementing the lag schedule intervention.Results showed a systematic increase in varied responses across multiple social contexts, suggesting that lag schedules can be implemented with positive effects in naturalistic therapy settings.