Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42867087›Full record

SynthesisJournal of applied behavior analysis

Application of operant demand in autism and developmental disabilities: An updated review (2017-2025).

Ji Young Kim, Lesley Shawler, Shawn Gilroy

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of applied behavior analysis. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Ji Young KimSchool of Behavioral Sciences and Education, Pennsylvania State University-Harrisburg, Middletown, PA, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0520-1680
Lesley ShawlerSchool of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5081-6839
Shawn GilroyDepartment of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1097-8366

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Operant demand within behavioral economics provides a quantitative framework for evaluating reinforcer efficacy in applied research involving individuals with autism and those with related developmental disabilities. This systematic review extended the work of Gilroy, Kaplan, and Leader (2018) by examining applied operant demand research published between March 2017 and December 2025. Following PRISMA guidelines, 30 articles (31 experiments; 307 participants) were identified and coded for procedural features and methods, including operant arrangements, demand and work output analyses, open and closed economies, and unit price applications. Results indicated increased use of demand and work output analyses and unit price applications. However, open and closed economies remained rarely evaluated and substantial variability was observed in procedural methods used to manipulate price. Findings indicate growing use of operant demand analyses for treatment durability and schedule thinning but continued underuse for generalization variables.

Indexed as

Autistic DisorderConditioning, OperantDevelopmental DisabilitiesEconomics, BehavioralReinforcement, PsychologyHumansReinforcement Scheduleautismbehavioral economicsdevelopmental disabilitiesoperant demandprogressive ratio

Identifiers

PMID42867087
PMCPMC13659927

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.