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Quality Treatment for Children
Additional information can be found at a sister site at: http://www.childdevelopment.me.uk/INDEX_P8AM.html
An evaluation treatment matrix for parents of children with developmental disabilities, mental health and/or behavioral issues.
Millions, perhaps hundreds of millions of dollars in public and private funds are being wasted every year for poor quality and mostly ineffectual treatment. Ironically, the right intervention almost always costs less over the course of life of the individual.
Most imporantly, children and families often, are not receiving the help they need in order to realize the best possible benefit from intervention.
How do you tell what is good quality therapy for a child with a disability, mental illness, and/or behavior problems? This system is not perfect; however, it is based on extensive research and can be used as a GUIDE for evaluating treatment options as well as evaluating the quality of treatment being provided.
| Element | Explanation | Possible Points | Yes or No, if yes, give the points. If partial, give partial points. |
| Strength Based | The program will be strength based. While this does not mean that the program ignores deficits or problems, the primary focus will be strengths. Safety should always come first; however, is the long term and clear emphasis on strengths and increasing appropriate behavior? Click here to ask questions or discuss. | 10 | |
| Best Practice/Evidence Based Practice | Providing a best practice, research documented and peer verified approach that matches the disability, disorder, issue, and individual situation for your child i.e. P.L.A.Y, TEECH, ESDM, and ABA. Does the provider provide a well researched, individualized, developmentally appropriate, and best practice intervention that is known to provide best outcomes for a child of (age of your child) with (disability, condition, or diagnosis of your child)? They should be able to tell you exactly what intervention they are providing and provide you with the research to back it up. They should also be able to tell you how they have individualized that intervention for the best fit for your child and family. If they can not, they should have a very good explanation of why they can not. Does the therapist have the qualifications/training to provide this particular intervention? Click here to ask questions or discuss. | 10 | |
| Parent and other Caregiver involvement in therapy | When therapy is integrated into yours and the child's typical routines, more really is better. Are you an integral part of the therapy, are you being taught things that you can do to support therapy and is there follow-up to see how well you are doing and what you might do differently to adjust for better results for your child? Are you listened to as a partner and an expert on your child? Does therapy support and promote inclusion in typical healthy productive routines that your child's peers are involved with i.e. 4-H, scouting, school activities, church activities etc.? (See Plan Quality FO: Functional Outcomes below.) Click here to ask questions or discuss. | 10 | |
| Additional therapies are being provided for the child. | I.E. Speech, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, or other type of specialist. Is there a global approach to your child? This does not mean that the other therapists have to be providing direct therapy. Sometimes this can be only for consultation and evaluation. This is not essential for every child but the need should be explored through the Functional Analysis or Behavior. Is this occurring or has it been thoroughly explored? Click here to ask questions or discuss. | 10 | |
| Collaboration with other therapies | Is there both communication and an integration or support of services being provided by other professionals. Does the therapist working with your child, collaborate with and integrate suggestions provided by other therapists? Click here to ask questions or discuss. | 10 | |
| Progress | Evidence that the child is making significant progress with the existing therapies. (May include maintenance for certain degenerative disorders or syndromes.) Can you easily recognize significant achievements made by your child, that were written as specific goals or objectives on your child's plan? Can the therapist show you data that is easily understood and that relates directly to your child's objectives? Click here to ask questions or discuss. | 10 | |
| Plan quality: MBO | Quality and appropriate (including developmentally), Measurable Behavioral Objectives. Does your child's plan contain objectives that are so clear and concise that you know exactly what your child is to do and when your child is to do it? Do you also clearly understand when your child will have achieved this objective? Click here to ask questions or discuss. | 10 | |
| Plan quality: FO |
Quality and appropriate (including developmentally), Functional Outcomes.
Are the outcomes and goals on your child's plan something that s/he will be able to use as a part of his or her normal routine? Is this a skill that you would teach a typically developing child? Is s/he learning something that s/he could possibly use if s/he were living on his or her own? Are the outcomes both functional and meaningful to the child and/or family? Service Providers often complain about the lack of interest and involvement from the parents, often, if not usually, this is the fault of the provider. If the outcomes or in other words, the primary goals are not meaningful in a way that will have a direct positive impact on the family and/or child, then the family is less likely to be an active participant in therapy. In Becoming Solution-Focused in Brief Therapy, Walter and Peller, 1992, the authors make a profound statement: “There is no such thing as resistive clients, only inflexible therapists.” The best therapist will partner with you as a parent/guardian to assure that the outcomes are both functional and meaningful to you and the child. You will not only be a full partner, but the senior partner (by importance) in the intervention. Click here to ask questions or discuss. |
10 | |
| Crucial Time Periods | For some interventions and disabilities this would include the first three years of life; however if Best Practice is provided, can often extend through age 8 or 9. This does not mean that treatment is not important for older children, it is. It does mean that early intervention is crucial if at all possible. This is partially because of what we know about early brain development (towards bottom of page). Treatment for some things, i.e. attachment and hearing loss are especially critical in the first few months of life. Some other crucial times can be times of transition, including between schools, moving, family transitions, puberty etc. Is therapy being provided at a crucial time period and if not, does the therapist acknowledge and understand the importance of these periods and is s/he prepared with a transition plan for these periods? Click here to ask questions or discuss. |
10 | |
| Medication | Medication is not needed for most children. If it is being prescribed, a children’s psychiatrist is recommenced if at all possible. If there is medication is there close collaboration between the therapist and the physician? Click here to ask questions or discuss. | 10 | |
| FBA | Existence of a functional behavioral analysis. (Also called a functional analysis of behavior.) (Must include, environment, setting events, sleep, diet, medical, communication, etc.) Was a functional analysis of behavior conducted, especially for a child three years or older? Click here to ask questions or discuss. | 10 | |
| Relationships |
Does your child have a positive caring relationship with the therapist or do you believe that they will be able to develop one. (Knowing that the therapist personally cares about the individual is important for any therapy.) Do you have good rapport with the therapist? Does therapy build positive relationships? Click here to ask questions or discuss. |
10 | |
| Order of intervention |
When the issues are behavioral and/or social/emotional/mental health, your child's therapist should be concerned with relationships and prevention, the environment, setting events, interactions and skill development, and individually treating the child, in that basic order with the exception of safety and immediate health concerns which must always be addressed first. There may be some slight variations to this order. Click here on Child Behavior and go towards the middle of the page for additional information. Click here to ask questions or discuss. | 10 | |
| Family Centered |
The family is an integral partner in treatment and the parents are experts on their own child. To the extent possible, the values and culture of the family are honored and respected by the therapist. Iindividuals and families have beliefs in how change takes place and what they believe will be effective. The therapist is there short term, the extended family and support system are almost always there much longer than the therapist. The therapist needs to understand this, take it into account and use the strengths and resources of the family system to help the family and child. Is family centered coaching a significant component of the intervention provided by the therapist? Click here to ask questions or discuss. |
10 |
In some situations therapy/intervention can and should be brief.
Find out if there is a governmental agency or a professional governing board that reviews this therapist/counselor or the agency that s/he works for. This information may be public and easily accessible on-line. If the information is available find out what they have to say about the agency or individual.
As mentioned previously, this is intended only as a guide and not a final determinant. These are elements that may be helpful and that you may want to consider in making your decision.
To post questions or make comments, click here.
CR Petersen M.Ed.
Best Practice, Evidence Based: References:
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Abstracts: This book challenges American communities to reclaim their responsibility for raising healthy, successful, and caring children and adolescents. The book also offers a critique of American culture along with practical strategies for uniting and mobilizing communities around a shared vision of healthy development. The book argues that three interlocking strategies are important to this end: (1) meeting basic human needs in order to enhance our national capacity to ensure economic security, food, shelter, good and useful work, and safety for all residents; (2) targeting, reducing and eliminating the risks that diminish the healthy development of children and adolescents; and (3) developing language, vision and community. Chapter 1 of the book presents the vision and the challenges. Chapters 2 through 4 define the concept of developmental assets which consist of 40 building blocks of human development, each of which enhances the health and well-being of children and adolescents. Chapters 5 through 7 explore a vision of what an asset-building culture and an asset-building community look like. Chapters 8 through 11 provide strategies and techniques for growing healthy, asset-promoting communities. Three appendices provide selected references for the 40 developmental assets, findings from the 1990-1995 assets sample, and the progression of developmental assets from birth to age 18. (Author/SD)
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| Asset-Based Context Matrix: An Assessment Tool for Developing Contextually-Based Child Outcomes Linda L. Wilson Donald W. Mott Introduction: The ABC Matrix is a contextually-based assessment tool that uses children’s assets (personal interests and abilities) as factors promoting their participation in everyday natural learning environments. The tool provides practitioners and parents a useful way of gathering functional and meaningful information for developing contextually-based outcomes and implementing interventions and child learning activities in everyday natural learning environments. The reader is referred to Wilson, Mott, and Batman (2004) for a more complete description of the development and use of the assessment and intervention tool... |
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Attachment and Symbolic Play in Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorders |
Autism Therapy Choices |
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Behavioral Approaches to Promoting Play |
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The Behaviors of Parents of Children with Autism Predict the Subsequent Development of Their Children's Communication Michael Siller, Marian Sigman |
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Benefits to Down's syndrome children through training their mothers. |
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Best Practices for Writing Child Outcomes |
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The Best Quality Cooperation between Parents and Experts in Early Intervention. |
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'Building brighter futures for all our children'– a new focus on families as partners and change agents in the care and development of children with disabilities or special educational needs |
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Building New Dreams: Supporting Parents' Adaptation to Their Child With Special Needs |
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Can Children with Autism Recover? If So, How? Molly Helt, Elizabeth Kelley, Marcel Kinsbourne, Juhi Pandey, Hilary Boorstein, Martha Herbert, Deborah Fein
Abstract: Although Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are generally assumed to be lifelong, we review evidence that between 3% and 25% of children reportedly lose their ASD diagnosis and enter the normal range of cognitive, adaptive and social skills. Predictors of recovery include relatively high intelligence, receptive language, verbal and motor imitation, and motor development, but not overall symptom severity. Earlier age of diagnosis and treatment, and a diagnosis of Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified are also favorable signs. The presence of seizures, mental retardation and genetic syndromes are unfavorable signs, whereas head growth does not predict outcome. Controlled studies that report the most recovery came about after the use of behavioral techniques. Residual vulnerabilities affect higher-order communication and attention. Tics, depression and phobias are frequent residual co-morbidities after recovery. Possible mechanisms of recovery include: normalizing input by forcing attention outward or enriching the environment; promoting the reinforcement value of social stimuli; preventing interfering behaviors; mass practice of weak skills; reducing stress and stabilizing arousal. Improving nutrition and sleep quality is non-specifically beneficial.
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Can one hour per week of therapy lead to lasting changes in young children with autism? Laurie A. Vismara, Costanza Colombi, Sally J. Rogers
Abstract: Deficits in attention, communication, imitation, and play skills reduce opportunities for children with autism to learn from natural interactive experiences that occur throughout the day. These developmental delays are already present by the time these children reach the toddler period. The current study provided a brief 12 week, 1 hour per week, individualized parent—child education program to eight toddlers newly diagnosed with autism. Parents learned to implement naturalistic therapeutic techniques from the Early Start Denver Model, which fuses developmental- and relationship-based approaches with Applied Behavior Analysis into their ongoing family routines and parent—child play activities. Results demonstrated that parents acquired the strategies by the fifth to sixth hour and children demonstrated sustained change and growth in social communication behaviors. Findings are discussed in relation to providing parents with the necessary tools to engage, communicate with, and teach their young children with autism beginning immediately after the diagnosis.
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| Center for Evidence Based Practices CEBP) is an applied research center of the Orelena Hawks Puckett Institute. The major aim of CEBP activities and initiatives is to bridge the research-to-practice gap in early intervention, early childhood education, parent and family support, and family-centered practices by conducting research, preparing practice-based research syntheses, and producing evidence-based products.
The CEBP provides researchers and practitioners with opportunities to work together to identify and promote adoption of practices informed by research. Both primary and secondary data analyses, applied research studies, and the development and testing of child, parent, and family interventions constitute the focus of CEBP initiatives.
Research-to-practice activities of the CEBP are grounded in conceptual models emphasizing the enhancement of healthy functioning and the promotion of child, parent, and family growth and development.
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Characteristics and Consequences of Coaching Practices |
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Characteristics and Consequences of Everyday Natural Learning Opportunities |
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Coaching Families and Colleagues: A Process for Collaboration in Natural Settings |
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Abstract: In this paper, Occupational Performance Coaching (OPC) is presented as a means whereby occupational therapists can support parents in achieving goals for themselves and their children. OPC is a coaching intervention that assists parents to recognise and implement social and physical environment changes that support more successful occupational performance for themselves and their children. OPC utilises collaborative problem-solving within a coaching relationship in which parents are guided towards identifying and implementing effective, autonomous solutions to occupational performance dilemmas. OPC is described in relation to the principles of contemporary practice; in particular that intervention is both family- and occupation-centred, and leads, as directly as possible, to the enablement of children's participation at home and in the community. Tentative empirical support for coaching parents draws on the supporting evidence for similar interventions in cognate disciplines. The unique features of OPC, namely, overt collaborative analysis of performance with parents and parent-initiated solution finding, are highlighted and their potential contributions to interventions currently employed by therapists are outlined. Recommendations are advanced as to how further research can support the adoption of this intervention strategy.
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Collaborative Goal-Setting with Families: Resolving Differences in Values and Priorities for Services Donald B. Bailey, Jr.
Abstract: Parents and professionals often differ in values and priorities for services. This article argues that interventionists should not attempt to force their values on families; rather they should engage in collaborative goal-setting in order to achieve a mutually acceptable plan. Issues related to value conflicts between parents and professionals are discussed and strategies for effective collaborative goal-setting are described.
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Contextualized Behavioral Support in Early Intervention for Children with Autism and Their Families Doug R. Moes, William D. Frea
Abstract: Parent education programs have become an effective mode of treatment delivery for teaching families effective behavioral strategies to manage challenging behavior in young children with autism. Functional assessment and functional communication training (FCT) are empirically validated procedures that have recently been introduced into parent education programming to help resolve challenging behaviors. The success of these procedures, however, is contingent on family members' ability to integrate them into the specific contexts in which challenging behaviors occur. Consequently, the application of these procedures in home settings necessitates consideration of the family context in the assessment and treatment planning process. A study is presented that investigated the use of information on family context (i.e., caregiving demands, family support, patterns of social interaction) to direct the assessment and intervention planning process. More specifically, information on family context was used to individualize behavioral support plans designed to support family use of functional communication training within important family routines. Through parent-investigator collaboration we individualized the manner in which functional communication training procedures were taught and implemented so they were contextually relevant. Utilizing a multiple baseline design, the challenging behaviors and functional communication of three children with autism were monitored across baseline, intervention (i.e., FCT, and contextulized FCT), and follow-up phases. Multiple routines for each participant were selected and monitored across all phases to evaluate changes in the dependent measures within training and generalization routines. A self-report questionnaire was administered intermittently to parents to determine if consideration of family context improved the
 goodness of fit of the functional communication training treatment packages across FCT and contextualized FCT intervention phases. Results from the study indicate that consideration of family context in the assessment and intervention planning process does not jeopardize and may contribute to the stability and durability of reductions in challenging behavior achieved with functional assessment and functional communication training procedures. |
| Contribution of Developmental Assets to the Prediction of Thriving Among Adolescents Peter C. Scales , Peter L. Benson , Nancy Leffert , Dale A. Blyth
Abstract: This article investigated the contribution of developmental assets to the prediction of thriving behaviors among adolescents. The study was based on a sample of 6,000 youth in Grades 6-12 evenly distributed across 6 ethnic groups. Investigated were the effects of gender, grade, and levels of youth assets on 7 thriving indicators: school success, leadership, valuing diversity, physical health, helping others, delay of gratification, and overcoming adversity. Developmental assets are identified that together contribute “over and above demographic variables” between 10% and 43% to the variance of the thriving indicators and between 47% and 54% of the variance in a composite index comprised of the separate thriving indicators. The results substantially reflect the relation of developmental assets and thriving outcomes suggested by the research literature, and provide evidence for the utility of the developmental assets framework. |
| Cognitive-Behavioral Group Treatments in Childhood Anxiety Disorders: The Role of Parental Involvement MENDLOWITZ, SANDRA L. Ph.D.; MANASSIS, KATHARINA M.D.; BRADLEY, SUSAN M.D.; SCAPILLATO, DONNA C.C.W.; MIEZITIS, SOLVEIGA Ph.D.; SHAW, BRIAN E Ph.D.
Abstract: Objectives: This study examined (1) the effect of a cognitive-behavioral group intervention on anxiety, depression, and coping strategies in school-age children (aged 7-12 years) with Axis I anxiety disorders; and (2) the effect of parental involvement on treatment outcomes. Method: Parents and children (N = 62) were randomly assigned to one of three 12-week treatment conditions: parent and child intervention, child-only intervention, and parent-only intervention. Child anxiety, depression, and coping strategies were assessed before and after treatment. Results: All treatment groups reported fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression posttreatment and changes in their use of coping strategies. Children in the parent and child intervention used more active coping strategies posttreatment compared with children in the other 2 treatment conditions. Parents in this treatment condition reported a significantly greater improvement in their children's emotional well-being than parents in the other treatment conditions. Conclusions: Cognitive-behavioral group interventions reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression in school-age children with anxiety disorders. Concurrent parental involvement enhanced the effect on coping strategies. Further investigation is needed to corroborate the effectiveness of such short-term interventions and the maintenance of treatment effects. Copyright 1999 (C) American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry |
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Communication Intervention in Natural Learning Environments: Guidelines for Practice |
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Communities, Families, and Inclusion |
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Counseling and supporting parents of children with developmental delay: a research evaluation |
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The Costly Pursuit of Self-Esteem |
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Designing Research Studies on Psychosocial Interventions in Autism Tristram Smith, Lawrence Scahill, Geraldine Dawson, Donald Guthrie, Catherine Lord, Samuel Odom, Sally Rogers, and Ann Wagner
Abstract: To address methodological challenges in research on psychosocial interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a model was developed for systematically validating and disseminating interventions in a sequence of steps. First, initial efficacy studies are conducted to establish interventions as promising. Next, promising interventions are assembled into a manual, which undergoes pilot-testing. Then, randomized clinical trials test efficacy under controlled conditions. Finally, effectiveness studies evaluate outcomes in community settings. Guidelines for research designs at each step are presented. Based on the model, current priorities in ASD research include (a) preparation for efficacy and effectiveness trials by developing manuals for interventions that have shown promise and (b) initial efficacy studies on interventions for core features of ASD such as social reciprocity.
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Developmental Assets: Measurement and Prediction of Risk Behaviors Among Adolescents |
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The development of a treatment-research project for developmentally disabled and autistic children. O I Lovaas
Abstract: This paper describes the development and main results over the last 30 years from the treatment-research project with developmentally disabled (autistic) children in the Psychology Department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Three important dimensions in treatment research are addressed. The first pertains to the role of serendipity or accidental discoveries, the second to the importance of pursuing inductive rather than theory-driven research, and the third to the importance of adding in a cumulative and step-wise manner to improve treatment adequacy. Data from various areas of treatment research have been used to illustrate new directions for the project. These illustrations center on early and successful attempts to isolate experimentally the environmental variables that control self-injury, failure to observe response and stimulus generalization with subsequent loss of treatment gains, and the main results of intensive and early behavioral intervention in the child's natural environment. Effective treatment for severe behavioral disorders is seen to require early intervention carried out during all or most of the child's waking hours, addressing all significant behaviors in all of the child's environments, by all significant persons, for many years.
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Direct versus indirect response-reinforcer relationships in teaching autistic children Robert L. Koegel and Julie A. Williams
Abstract: One possibility suggested by the literature for maximizing the efficiency of behavior modification procedures concerns the relationship between target behaviors and their reinforcers. Therefore, in this experiment three severely autistic children were taught a total of six new target behaviors (in a multiple baseline design) employing two different response-reinforcer relationships: (1) those where the target behaviors were a direct part of the response chain required to procure a reinforcer (e.g., opening the lid of a container to obtain a food reward inside the container); and (2) those where the target behavior was an indirect part of the chain leading to the reinforcer (e.g., the therapist handing the child a food reward after the child had opened the lid of an empty container). In all cases, the results showed rapid acquisition only when the target behavior was a direct part of the chain leading to the reinforcer. The results are discussed in terms of several possible conceptualizations concerning efficient reinforcement contingencies, and in terms of their implications for teaching autistic children.
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Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: An Evaluation Tool Kit |
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Early Intervention for Children With Down Syndrome in Southern Italy: The Role of Parent-implemented Developmental Training Del Giudice, Ennio MD; Titomanlio, Luigi MD; Brogna, Giuseppe MD; Bonaccorso, Antonella PhD; Romano, Alfonso MD; Mansi, Giuseppina PhD; Paludetto, Roberto MD; Di Mita, Onorina MD; Toscano, Ennio MD; Andria, Generoso MD
Abstract: The aim of this study was to assess whether parent-implemented developmental training-by means of the Carolina Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers with Special Needs (CCITSN)-could be of greater benefit to young children with Down syndrome (DS) than the standard therapist-implemented treatment provided by the National Health Service of the southern Italian region of Campania (NHST). A total of 47 children with DS were randomly assigned either to the experimental (CCITSN) or to the comparison (NHST) group. Children from both groups were tested periodically with the Brunet-Lézine Psychomotor Development Scale. After completion of the 12-month followup, children in the CCITSN group showed developmental gains over time while children in the comparison group showed a slight but not statistically significant improvement. Moreover, mean developmental quotient scores of the CCITSN group, over the entire study period, were significantly higher than those of the comparison group. A commitment to using parents as interventionists is not a common practice in Italy and many other countries, but may be the most effective and cost-efficient way of providing services to young children with DS and other developmental disabilities. |
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Early Intervention in Autism |
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The Early Intervention Parenting Self-Efficacy Scale (EIPSES) |
| Early Intervention Services in Natural Environments - Concerns and Tips |
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Effect of Early Music Training on Child Cognitive Development |
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Effectiveness of a Home Program Intervention for Young Children with Autism |
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The effectiveness of interventions for children with autism |
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Efficacy of Applied Behavioral Intervention in Preschool Children with Autism for Improving Cognitive, Language, and Adaptive Behavior: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis |
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Empowering Parents: A Two-Generation Intervention in a Community Context in Northern Ireland |
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Engaging Autism: Using the Floortime Approach to Help Children Relate, Communicate, and Think |
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The Effects of an Accelerated Parent Education Program on Technique Mastery and Child Outcome Aubyn C. Stahmer, Kristin Gist
Abstract: Educating parents of children with autism regarding how to act as treatment providers for their own children is now understood to be an essential component of successful treatment programs. Although most parent education programs have been successful overall in teaching parents to use specific techniques, the programs are often time consuming and costly, and some parents continue to have difficulty learning, then implementing, techniques at home. The current project assessed the addition of a parent education support group to an accelerated parent education program. Both groups of families received individualized parent education for 12 weeks. One group also attended a weekly parent education support group. Both parent mastery of the parent education techniques and the children's language skills were assessed before and after training. Results indicate that inclusion of a parent education support group in a parent education program may increase parent mastery of teaching techniques and success of accelerated programming and, in turn, increase children's language success. Limitations and implications of this clinical research study are discussed.
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Effects of Low-Intensity Behavioral Treatment for Children with Autism and Mental Retardation Sigmund Eldevik, Svein Eikeseth, Erik Jahr, and Tristram Smith
Abstract We retrospectively compared 2 groups of children receiving either behavioral treatment (n=13) or eclectic treatment (n=15) for an average of 12 hours per week. Children were assessed on intelligence, language, adaptive functioning and maladaptive behavior at pretreatment and 2 years into treatment. The groups did not differ significantly at pretreatment. After 2 years of treatment, the behavioral group made larger gains than the eclectic group in most areas. However, gains were more modest than those reported in previous studies with children receiving more intensive behavioral treatment, and it is questionable whether they were clinically significant.
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Evidence-Based Comprehensive Treatments for Autism |
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Expanding Interventions for Children With Autism Jennifer B. Symon
The number of individuals diagnosed with autism has risen at an alarming rate. Expanding services should be a primary consideration of programs for children and their families. This article presents outcome data from a week-long parent education program for families of children with autism to suggest that parents can learn not only how to effectively implement strategies into their interactions with their children but also to train others who work with their children. Single-case research methods were used to assess the spread of effect of a parent education program from parents to other care providers. Results indicate that parents successfully trained others to implement the techniques presented during the program. Additionally, the children's social communication and behaviors improved during interactions with the other caregivers.
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Factors affecting family-centered service delivery for children with disabilities |
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The family-focused early intervention programme: evaluation of parental stress and depression |
| Family outcomes in early intervention: a framework for program evaluation and efficacy research |
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Family Stress and Children's Language and Behavior Problems |
Focus on Autism Research |
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Giving Families A Chance To Talk So They Can Plan |
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Guidelines for Early Identification, Screening, and Clinical Management of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders |
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Helping Autistic Children Through Their Parents |
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Home-Based Behavioral Intervention for Young Children with Autism/Pervasive Developmental Disorder |
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INCREASING PRETEND TOY PLAY OF TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES IN AN INCLUSIVE SETTING |
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Infants, Toddlers, and Families: A Framework for Support and Intervention. |
| Influence of Caregiver Responsiveness on the Development of Young Children with or At Risk for Developmental Disabilities |
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Joint Attention in Children With Autism |
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“Let Me Just Tell You What I Do All Day. . .” The Family Story at the Center of Intervention Research and Practice |
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Management of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders |
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Maternal Self-Efficacy and Associated Parenting Cognitions Among Mothers of Children With Autism |
| Montana State Developmental Disabilities Program Autism Information |
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Moving From "Parent Involvement" to Family-Centered Services |
| The Natural Environment II: Uncovering Deeper Responsibilities within Relationship-Based Services |
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A New Focus for Parent Education: Bridging the Gap Between Diagnosis and Intensive Early Intervention Services |
| Parental involvement in the treatment of childhood obsessive compulsive disorder: A multiple-baseline examination incorporating parents |
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Parental reactions to early intervention with their Down's syndrome infants |
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Parent behavioral training for problem children: An examination of studies using multiple outcome measures |
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Parent-Child Interaction Therapy: Integration of Traditional and Behavioral Concerns. |
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Parent-Child Interaction Training: Effects on Family Functioning |
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Parent implemented early intervention for young children with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review |
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Parenting Stress Reduces the Effectiveness of Early Teaching Interventions for Autistic Spectrum Disorders |
| Parent-Mediated Everyday Child Learning Opportunities: I. Foundations and Operationalization |
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Parents as change agents for their children: A review |
| Parents as co therapists in the treatment of psychotic children |
| A Perspective on the Research Literature Related to Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (Lovaas) for Young Children with Autism |
| Pilot study of a parent training program for young children with autism |
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Placing Parent Education in Conceptual and Empirical Context. |
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Play Therapy: Neuroscience and Play Therapy |
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Predictors of Optimal Outcome in Toddlers Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders |
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PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS: CHILDREN AGED BIRTH TO TWO WITH ASD AND THE EARLY INTERVENTION ETHODOLOGIES OF ABA, PECS, AND FLOOR-TIME |
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Preparing practitioners to work with families in early childhood intervention |
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The Pre-school Autism Communications Trial (PACT) |
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Providing Early Intervention Services in Natural Environments - Concerns and Tips |
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Recent advances in physical and occupational therapy for children with cerebral palsy |
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Recent Developments in Early Intervention Efficacy Research |
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Resilience in the face of adversity. Protective factors and resistance to psychiatric disorder |
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Routines-Based Interview: Demonstration and Practice |
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The Ten Myths about Providing Early Intervention Services in Natural Environments |
| Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control |
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Service needs of families of children with severe physical disability. |
Special Instruction and Natural Environments: Best Practices in Early Intervention |
| Stanley Greenspan: Website |
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Systematic reviews of psychosocial interventions for autism: an umbrella review A few excerpts from the article:
"Methodological quality
Overall, the methodological quality of the reviews was poor. The median OQAA score was 2 (interquartile range: 1 to 3) on a scale of 1 to 7. Twenty-five of the reviews (83%) had major or extensive methodoligal flaws (a score of 3 or less on the OQAA). The only reviews that satisfied all of the components were two Cochran reviews, and one paper that was based on a review first published in the Cochrane Library." p. 98.
"Evidence from high-quality reviews
...The authors observed that studies using control procedures generally provided little or no support for the effectiveness of facilitative communication, studies with fewer control procedures yielded mixed results, and studies that did not use control procedures almost universally showed that facilitative communication positively affected functional communication outcomes. The authors concluded that the claims of the effectiveness of facilitative communication are largely unsubstantiated and that facilitative communication should not be recommended as a treatment for individuals with communication impairments. This review underscores the need for further scientific verification of this intervention.
In two high-quality systematic reviews, the effectiveness of parent-mediated interventions for young children with ASDs were examined...The evidence favored parent training on child language and maternal knowledge in one study. In the second study, intensive intervention was associated with greater child outcomes on direct measures than were found for parent mediated intervention, although differences were not evident on measures of parent and teacher perceptions of behaviours and skills. Overall, the authors concluded that there was some evidence to suggest that parent-mediated intervention might have some benefit for children and parents; however, as the findings were based on only two RCTs, this review has little to offer in terms of clinical implications.
A second high-quality review of parent-mediated interventions was conducted by McConachie et al. Twelve studies with a concurrent control group were included and their results were qualitatively analyzed. Evidence from these studies suggests that parent training leads to improved child communicative behaviour, increased maternal knowledge of autism, enhanced maternal communication style and parent-child interaction, and reduced maternal depression. The authors concluded that parent training appears to contribute successfully to interventions for young children with ASDs...
In three studies, no benefits of auditory integration training over control conditions was seen;...
Results indicated that short-term, brief music therapy was superior to placebo with respect to verbal communication skills...However, the effects of music therapy on behaviour problems were not significant. Results suggest that music therapy may help children with ASDs" p 98-100.
"DISCUSSION
...These reviews provide evidence that the use of a psychosocial intervention is better than none; yet there is no evidence to suggest that one intervention is superior to another among this diverse range of treatments...Even if differences in the therapeutic effectiveness of the interventions exist, differences in cost, convenience and family burdens associated with the interventions are likely to be important factors in individual decision-making...We cannot hope to address all of the needs for every individual with autism using one approach to treatment." p 102
"Clinical Relevance
...Systematic reviews in ASDs consistently underlined the importance of tailoring choice of treatment to individualized needs." p. 103
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Teaching Parents New Skills to Support Their Young Children's Development |
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Therapy in Natural Environments: The Means or End Goal for Early Intervention? |
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A two-year prospective follow-up study of community-based early intensive behavioural intervention and specialist nursery provision for children with autism spectrum disorders |
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Using Family Context to Inform Intervention Planning for the Treatment of a Child with Autism |
