Extending Caregiver Training Via Telecommunication for Rural Icelandic Children With Autism

• Published in: Rural special education quarterly Vol. 38; no. 1; pp. 26 - 42
• Main Authors: Guðmundsdóttir, Kristín, Ala’i-Rosales, Shahla, Sigurðardóttir, Zuilma Gabriela
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.03.2019; SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Adjustment (to Environment); Autism; Autistic children; Behavior Rating Scales; Caregivers; Child Behavior; Cognitive Development; Communication Skills; Foreign Countries; Goal Orientation; Intelligence Tests; Intervention; Parent Attitudes; Parent Child Relationship; Parents & parenting; Preschool Children; Program Development; Program Evaluation; Rural Areas; Social Behavior; Teaching Methods; Telecommunications; Telemedicine; Training; Web Sites; Young Children; Iceland; parent training; preschool children; rural families; telehealth; autism
• ISSN: 8756-8705; 2168-8605
• DOI: 10.1177/8756870518783522

This study describes the development and evaluation of a behavioral parent training protocol via telecommunication for three parents of preschool children with autism, with limited access to behavioral expertise. A single-subject, multiple baseline experimental design across child behaviors, replicated across parents, was used to evaluate the effects of the training protocol. Dependent measures were collected via telecommunication for most assessments and included parent and child responses during naturalistic play. During intervention, the parents were taught methods to increase their child’s sociocommunicative behavior. All targeted skills increased during intervention. The increase was maintained with two families and some generalization to other settings occurred. The results indicate that training via telecommunication is a viable approach for rural families with low speed Internet connection. Continued development and refinement of telehealth training methods is discussed in context of technological challenges and procedures that fit telecoaching for rural families.