Capturing and contriving motivation is so important when you want to increase skills.  How does an individual work for something when they don’t want it?  First, do this, then you can have that – But I don’t want that.  

What if I told you that it is possible to increase motivation? 

1. Capture Motivation

This simply means recognize what your child wants and go after it.  For instance, if your child is walking or reaching for a preferred item, you know your child wants that item.  Therefore, take that item and use it to your advantage.  If your child is non-verbal, make him/her point to the item in order to receive it, or make your child verbally ask for it first.  This is how you capture motivation.  

2. Contrive Motivation

This requires a little more creativity.  How do you make someone want something?  For instance, there is a balloon lying on the table and there doesn’t seem to be any interest.  However, as soon as you blow it up and let it go, all of the sudden, your child may take interest.  Likewise, they may want other toys/items/activities after they’ve seen someone else engage with them for a few short instances.  

3. Satiation/Deprivation

If a child has free access to things all the time, what’s in it for them to want to work for them.  First do this, then you can have that.  Why bother when I can just have it later after the session is done anyway?  Does this sound familiar?  If so, you may need to rearrange the environment so that your child does not have free access to all of their toys.  

Helpful tips to keep motivation high:

• Put some toys up high or in clear containers so that your child needs to request for them
• Rotate toys regularly to prevent satiation
• Reserve some toys for only therapy sessions. 

4. Be Creative!

There are so many things a child can be motivated for that are not typical.  If we’re offering the child the same toy over and over again and he’s not into it, it’s time to move away from that option.  While it’s easy to offer a child a toy or a chip, some children are more motivated by attention or activities.  We’ve had kids who worked for squeezes or tickles or being spun around really fast.  Think about the child’s perspective and be creative in offering reinforcers that the child would enjoy.  It’s okay to move away from the typical reinforcers if it’s what your client is motivated for.  As long as you can make the reinforcer contingent on an expectation, the options are endless!

5. Look at the Programs

Seeing a lack of motivation might be a sign that the programs need some attention.  Is the child bored? Do the programs need to be updated? Does there need to be more Natural Environment Teaching (NET)?  Talk to your BCBA/Supervisor about these options.  

Going back and re-pairing is also a good option at this point.  Like any relationship, putting too many demands can cause a strain.  What started off good can become stressed if you don’t continue to build the positive aspects of the client-therapist relationship. Go back to pairing for a few sessions, add some sensory social routines in the program so that it’s more fun.  Don’t forget to include as much fun as you can!

Rarely have we actually come across a student who was not motivated.   Lack of motivation is usually solved by one of the above options.   

What works for you to keep motivation high?