Wechsler, David

Abstract

Wait training is synonymous with teaching "tolerance for delay." For example, some people with ASD may become restless and disruptive when they are told to "wait" after making a request. Or, they may have difficulty waiting for a future activity to occur. It is first necessary to identify the situations and conditions that will be the focus of wait training. Next, a defined wait period is selected, usually a short duration a person can comfortably tolerate and then increased gradually over time. In illustration, a child or adult may be unable to wait before eating at a favorite restaurant. Wait training in this setting would begin by informing the person that she/he will have to "wait to be called" to the table . Training can be supplemented with visual cues such as a small card showing a red circle ("wait") on one side and a green circle ("go") on the other side. When displaying the red side of the card, a parent or care provider would praise the person for "waiting" or possibly allow her/him access to preferred objects such as a music source (iPod) or book throughout the wait period. When it is time to be seated in the restaurant, the person would be shown the green side of the card, praised again, and allowed to go to the table. This final step of wait training, gaining access to the highly preferred activity, is intended to reinforce the preceding sequence of behaviors, namely, entering the restaurant, sitting quietly, and remaining occupied until the meal begins. With routine training, visual cues and social reinforcement eventually can be withdrawn so that an initial "wait" instruction is sufficient. Of note, training someone to wait in one setting or under certain conditions may not extend to other settings and conditions unless similar training is implemented there.