A Randomized Clinical Trial of a Virtual-Training Program for Teaching Applied-Behavior-Analysis Skills to Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Published in: Journal of applied behavior analysis Vol. 53; no. 4; pp. 1856 - 1875
• Main Authors: Fisher, Wayne W, Luczynski, Kevin C, Blowers, Andrew P, Vosters, Megan E, Pisman, Maegan D, Craig, Andy R, Hood, Stephanie A, Machado, Mychal A, Lesser, Aaron D, Piazza, Cathleen C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 01.09.2020
• Subjects: Applied Behavior Analysis; Autism; Behavior Modification; Child Behavior; Electronic Learning; Intervention; Parent Attitudes; Parent Education; Parent Role; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Program Effectiveness; Program Implementation; Role Playing; Training
• ISSN: 0021-8855
• DOI: 10.1002/jaba.778

Parents play an important role in the treatment of their children's symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD); thus, developing effective, efficient, socially acceptable, and accessible procedures for training parents to implement applied-behavior-analysis (ABA) interventions is critically important. One potential approach involves delivering training via a virtual private network (VPN) over the internet (Fisher et al., 2014). In this study, we conducted a randomized clinical trial to evaluate a virtual parent-training program with e-learning modules and scripted role-play via a VPN. We evaluated parent implementation of ABA skills using direct-observation measures in structured-work and play-based training contexts. Parents in the treatment group showed large, statistically significant improvements on all dependent measures; those in the waitlist-control group did not. Parents rated the training as highly socially acceptable. Results add to the growing literature on the efficacy and acceptability of virtually delivered training in ABA.