Treating Food Refusal & Selectivity: Part 1

For practitioners comparing approaches to food refusal and selectivity, this recorded Part 1 examines assessment before intervention, reinforcement-based treatment studies, and medical, nutritional and consent considerations. The opening welcomes Christine Austin and Gabe Valley; the catalogue credits Christine Austin.

Catalogue presenter credit: Christine Austin.

MANDATORY DISCLAIMER: The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (“BACB”) does not sponsor, approve, or endorse Special Learning, the materials, information, or sessions identified herein.

The review distinguishes refusal behaviors from preferences for food types, textures, or limited variety, then examines inventories, ABC observation, and experimental functional analysis.

Study comparisons cover fading within treatment packages, preferred-condiment pairings, and simultaneous versus sequential food presentation. The presenter notes that one package cannot isolate fading's contribution and that the condiment study never faded the condiment.

The planning discussion considers physician and dietitian involvement, informed consent, inadequate progress, reduced intake, and increased mealtime behavior; Part 2 is introduced for application and a fuller discussion of escape extinction.

What does this recording cover?

• The session distinguishes food refusal from selectivity by food type, texture, and variety.
• Assessment coverage includes inventories, ABC observation, descriptive analysis, and experimental functional analysis.
• The reviewed studies compare fading packages, condiment pairings, and simultaneous versus sequential presentation.
• Study limitations include unisolated treatment components and condiments that were never faded.
• Treatment planning addresses medical and nutritional input, informed consent, and possible difficulties during intervention.

Recording context: The recording date is unavailable, and the clinical literature discussed reflects the recording's historical context.

Three selected learner comments

The six-item evaluation mean was 3.50/5 across 15 complete responses, from 115 recorded rating responses. This mean includes only complete six-score responses. Source: Special Learning's course evaluation records, snapshot October 11, 2026.

Three selected anonymous responses appear below, with the wording and spelling retained. They describe learners' experiences and requests; they are not a guarantee of results or a claim that these comments represent every learner.

The content was fine but the presentation was dry and not engaging

Course evaluation response, 2023

I thought it covered sufficient material to prepare someone for Part 2.

Course evaluation response, 2023

More visuals. Or more frequent use of splitscreen

Course evaluation response, 2023

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