Coaching Families of Young Children with Autism and Minimal Speech in Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Strategies Using Video Feedback

An estimated 30% of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) do not develop functional vocal speech by the age of four, often resulting in cascading challenges such as problem behavior and difficulties accessing educational and societal acceptance. Thankfully, early intervention can lead to significantly increased social communication for young children with ASD when parents are trained and coached to implement naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBIs) during natural routines (e.g., playtime) with their child. Video feedback coaching has been successfully implemented with parents of children with ASD to increase positive parenting behaviors and decrease child maladaptive behaviors. However, no published research has examined the use of video feedback coaching with parents of children with ASD during social communication interventions. To address this gap, the proposed research study will employ a single-case multiple-baseline across parent-child dyads design to evaluate the effectiveness of a one-time training and weekly video feedback coaching delivered via telehealth on (a) parent implementation of NDBI strategies and (b) child social communication skills. Social validity data on parent satisfaction of video feedback coaching will also be collected. Practical findings of this research may uncover a more effective, efficient, and accessible parent-coaching method, resulting in an increase in child social communication. Such results would enhance the current service system, leading to improved educational and societal outcomes of children with ASD. Long term goals of this project include developing a protocol on how to implement video feedback coaching during early intervention services with parents of children with ASD, thereby making video feedback coaching accessible to early intervention practitioners to incorporate into their services.