General Case Training via Telehealth for Parents of Young Children At-Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Research indicates that young children at-risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show developmental improvements with the implementation of a parent training intervention, although evidence of parent generalization to novel skills is inconsistent. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects on generalization of a parent-mediated early intervention using general case training (GCT) combined with behaviour skills training (BST) via telehealth for young children at-risk for ASD. Six parent-child dyads participated in total. Child target skills were identified through the Parent Observation of Early Markers Scale and confirmed through direct observation. Nine exemplars from three child skill categories that target deficits representative of early signs of ASD were taught to parents using two concurrent multiple baseline across participants designs. Data were collected for the percentage of correct parent teaching skills implemented, as well as the percentage of child correct responses to the target skills. Results demonstrate an increase in parent teaching skills across all trained participants for both trained and untrained child skills. These results provide preliminary support for GCT combined with BST via telehealth as an effective early intervention model.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A. Applied Disability Studies

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Faculty of Social Sciences

Department dc:contributor.department

Center for Applied Disability Studies

Grantor

Brock University

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Shingleton-Smith, Claire

• autism
• parent training
• applied behaviour analysis
• generalization
• infants and young children

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10464/15163

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:brocku.scholaris.ca:10464/15163