Telehealth trains parents to improve behavior skills of children with
autism

Date:
October 6, 2020
Source:
Rutgers University
Summary:
Training parents of children with autism spectrum disorder virtually
about early behavioral intervention is an accessible and effective
approach during the coronavirus pandemic or in other instances when
in- person instruction is not possible, according to a new study.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Training parents of children with autism spectrum disorder virtually
about early behavioral intervention is an accessible and effective
approach during the coronavirus pandemic or in other instances when
in-person instruction is not possible, according to a Rutgers researcher.


==========================================================================
The study, which was published in The Journal of Applied Behavioral
Analysis, broadens the treatment options for parents of children with
autism who lack access to in-person training as they do now during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Since parents play an important role in the treatment of their children's autism symptoms, developing effective, efficient, socially acceptable
and accessible training so they can implement these interventions is
critically important," said lead author Wayne Fisher, director of the
Rutgers Center for Autism Research, Education and Services at the Rutgers
Brain Health Institute.

"However, many parents do not have access to this complex training due to geographic, economic and time barriers -- or more recently the pandemic,
which has made in-person training difficult." Autism spectrum disorder
affects approximately one in 59 children in the United States. Children
who do not receive early intensive behavioral intervention - - part of
the applied behavior analysis-based treatment (ABA) approach -- have been
shown to find it difficult to secure employment, maintain friends and
live independently as adults. Parents are trained on the intervention,
which aims to reduce problem behavior, such as aggression, and to
increase adaptive behavior, such as communication and social skills,
through a combination of e-learning and play-based training approaches.

In the study, Fisher and his colleagues recruited 25 adults who had a
child diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder and had no experience
in ABA intervention and assigned 13 to the treatment group and 12 to a
control group that did not receive the virtual training but continued
with other behavioral programs they currently used.

The study evaluated how well parents implemented the behavioral procedures
they learned through virtual training and scripted role-play with
a specialist.

Before and after the virtual learning, trained observers watched videos
of how parents in both groups responded to researchers who used a script
to simulate appropriate behaviors, such as initiating conversation,
and problem behaviors, such as aggression, that are commonly exhibited
by children with autism. They found that parents in the treatment group
showed large and statistically significant improvements over the group
that did not receive the training.

The study also found that parents rated the telehealth training as a
6.6 on a 7-point scale, showing that it is easy to use, comprehensive
and effective.

"The findings show that parents can be virtually trained in these complex procedures and that the methods are ones that they find easy to use,"
Fisher said. "You want these treatments to not only work in the clinic
with the trained technicians but also in a child's daily life, helping
parents to manage behavior and helping the child communicate better and
to do activities like go out to dinner." The study was co-authored
by Cathleen C. Piazza at Rutgers School of Applied and Professional
Psychology.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Rutgers_University. Original written
by Patti Verbanas.

Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Wayne W. Fisher, Kevin C. Luczynski, Andrew P. Blowers, Megan
E. Vosters,
Maegan D. Pisman, Andy R. Craig, Stephanie A. Hood, Mychal
A. Machado, Aaron D. Lesser, Cathleen C. Piazza. A randomized
clinical trial of a virtual‐training program for teaching
applied‐behavior‐ analysis skills to parents of children
with autism spectrum disorder.

Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2020; DOI: 10.1002/jaba.778 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/10/201006091222.htm

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