Involving Caregivers of Autistic Toddlers in Early Intervention: Common Practice or Exception to the Norm?

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Family-centered practice (FCP) is a core component of early intervention (EI) associated with improved child and family outcomes, but little is known about community-based speech-language pathologists' (SLPs') inclusion of families in EI. Many caregivers of autistic children experience caregiving-related stress, making these intervention principles especially critical to the provision of optimal services. This study aimed to characterize EI SLPs' use of FCP coaching strategies and the quality of caregiver-SLP relationships.

Method

Participants included 25 families with an autistic toddler and their EI SLP. One intervention session for each SLP-family dyad was recorded and coded for the SLP's use of FCP coaching strategies. Caregivers and SLPs completed surveys about

SUBMITTER: Lee J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9531930 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature