Instructional Control in Autism: Building Trust, Reducing Stress, and Creating Safety

In this episode of Autism Labs, Mike Carr shares his struggles with gaining and keeping instructional control—getting his profoundly autistic son to follow directions without resistance. He contrasts his challenges with others' success and stresses that instructional control is about trust, not compliance. Carr discusses using consistency, patience, and positive pairing to become a reinforcing presence, the strategic use of reinforcers, and the need for caregiver consistency. He also outlines seven steps to build instructional control through reinforcement, engagement, and routine.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction: Reinforcement vs. Bribery
• 1:53 Real-Life Story: Airport Meltdown
• 4:11 What Is Bribery?
• 6:16 Timing of Reinforcement
• 8:34 Building Instructional Control
• 10:21 Consequences of Giving In
• 13:51 Final Thoughts and Encouragement