Coaching Parents of Young Children with Autism and Minimal to No Vocal Speech in Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Strategies Using Strength-based Video Feedback
Open Access
Author:
Ousley, Ciara
Graduate Program:
Special Education
Degree:
Doctor of Philosophy
Document Type:
Dissertation
Date of Defense:
February 18, 2022
Committee Members:
Jessica Caron, Outside Unit & Field Member David Lee, Major Field Member Pamela Wolfe, Program Head/Chair Tracy Raulston, Chair & Dissertation Advisor David Mcnaughton, Major Field Member
Keywords:
parent-implemented interventions naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions social communication autism spectrum disorder parent-implemented intervention
Abstract:
One out of every 54 children receive a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and approximately 30% of those children do not develop functional vocal speech by the age of four. Previous research has demonstrated that parents of young children with ASD can be trained to implement naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention strategies with fidelity when follow-up coaching is provided, leading to cascading increases in child social communication skills and parent self-efficacy. A concurrent multiple-baseline single case design across five parent-child dyads (i.e., two mothers and three fathers) was employed to evaluate the effects of strength-based video feedback coaching, a coaching tool that capitalizes on Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, on (a) parent strategy use, (b) child social communication, and (c) parent self-efficacy. An additional coaching package was introduced to parents who did not meet a predetermined criterion. Visual analysis and supplemental standardized mean difference and nonoverlap analyses revealed a functional relation and strong effects for parent strategy. No functional relation or statistically significant change were present between the intervention on child social communication skills or in parent-reported self-efficacy measures.