Do reward charts work for a child with ADHD or autism?

The short answer

A reward chart can make feedback and a later outcome more immediate for a clearly defined action. It cannot teach an unknown skill, make an inaccessible task possible, treat ADHD or autism, remove anxiety, pain or sensory distress, or prove that a child did not care before. Evidence for behavioural parent training does not show that a sticker chart used by itself works for every child. If you try one, choose one observable action, make success achievable, give the feedback promptly, protect ordinary food, comfort and family connection, and let the child help choose the format and outcome. Review task completion, distress, conflict and what happens when the chart is absent. Stop or redesign it if it creates shame, bargaining, fixation or repeated failure.

• A reward chart is one feedback arrangement, not a treatment for ADHD or autism.
• Check understanding, skill, materials, sensory load, anxiety and capacity before adding an incentive.
• Define one observable action and make the first success attainable.
• Never make food, affection, safety, communication or ordinary family belonging conditional.
• Behavioural parent-training evidence cannot be reduced to evidence for a chart alone.
• Review whether the useful action becomes more available without increased shame, distress or conflict.