Internationally certified behavioral analyst Nailya Valieva, who works with children with developmental disabilities, discussed the importance of the initial assessment of the motivational sphere in children and methods for its formation. She emphasized that motivation should not be sought; it needs to be created. An important element in her practice is primary testing, which allows for the assessment of a child's motivational sphere and the creation of an individual motivational profile.
The specialist noted that adults often make decisions about a child's preferences based on their subjective assessments. This leads to certain stimuli and demonstrations of play with toys being offered, however, such approaches do not promote independence, and the child is unable to reproduce actions without prompts.
According to Valieva, the initial assessment helps identify individual deficiencies in the motivational sphere. Based on the data obtained, goals are formed for the development of new skills, for example:
* If a child does not approach toys independently, the goal becomes teaching them this skill;
* If play with a toy is not functional, the task is to teach them functional play;
* Additionally, a goal may be set to teach new actions or prolonged interaction with objects.
Valieva emphasized that the motivational sphere serves as an important indicator of development and has the potential for growth. Conducting such an assessment allows for the precise determination of goals that correspond to the child's individual traits and planning effective interventions.
She also added that without an initial assessment, it is impossible to adequately develop skills.
“Every child is unique, and the approach to the motivational sphere should be individual,” Valieva concluded.
