With the growing number of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnoses, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) has become a widely accepted and evidence-supported method for early childhood intervention. Within ABA interventions, the effective use of reinforcement strategies is crucial for successful outcomes, particularly in skill acquisition and behavior maintenance. This study investigated the effectiveness of high-preference (HP) and low-preference (LP) stimuli as reinforcers for young children diagnosed with ASD. Utilizing a multiple baseline design across participants, this study included three children diagnosed with ASD, aged 2 to 5 years, in a community-based early intensive behavioral intervention setting. Reinforcer effectiveness was evaluated using progressive-ratio (PR) schedules following paired-choice preference assessments to identify edible reinforcers. Results demonstrated that HP stimuli consistently achieved higher breakpoints, indicating stronger reinforcement effects. However, LP stimuli also effectively maintained participant responding, although with comparatively lower breakpoints. These results highlight LP stimuli's viability as reinforcers, particularly when HP stimuli are limited or unavailable. The findings offer practical implications for ABA practitioners, suggesting that LP stimuli can support skill acquisition and maintain behaviors effectively under specific conditions. This study contributes to refining reinforcement practices, enabling more versatile and individualized ABA interventions for young children with ASD. Key words: reinforcement, progressive-ratio, high preferred reinforcer, low preferred reinforcer
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