Empirically based methods to assess the preferences of individuals with severe disabilities.

A literature review was conducted to provide a synthesis of 18 years of research on preference assessment with individuals who have severe disabilities (e.g., severe mental retardation, autism, multiple disabilities). Through this synthesis, several procedural variables were identified that may influence the outcome of preference assessment, including context, assessment stimuli, selection response, and format. Recommendations were given for designing preference assessment, and questions were raised for future research.