Telehealth replication of the trial‐based ongoing visual‐inspection criteria

Standish et al. (2023) asked parents to run trial-based functional analyses at home using Zoom. The team taught the visual-inspection rules that tell you when to stop a trial. Parents used everyday toys and chairs to set up the test. The goal was to see if telehealth steps still give quick answers.

Each family got coached through short trials until clear patterns showed. The study did not list ages or diagnoses, so the focus stayed on the method itself.

Parents ran the trials correctly and reached clear conclusions fast. The telehealth checks matched what experts would decide in a clinic. Families then moved straight to treatment that worked for them.

Martin et al. (2023) and Merrill et al. (2023) also show parents can learn skills over Zoom. All three studies found high treatment fidelity and positive child outcomes, giving the same message: telehealth parent training is ready for prime time.

Breider et al. (2024) seems to disagree. They report that blended online formats fizzled for kids with autism, while face-to-face parent training won. The difference is in the goal. Standish et al. coached parents to run a quick test, not a full 12-week program. Short coaching calls keep parents engaged, but longer blended classes lose steam.

Graucher et al. (2022) bridge the gap. They show the RUBI program works just as well over Zoom as in person when sessions stay active and brief. Together, the papers say: telehealth works when sessions are focused and feedback is immediate.

You can teach parents to run trial-based FAs in under an hour of Zoom time. Use the visual-inspection rules to stop when you see a clear pattern. This keeps families engaged and moves you to treatment before motivation drops. Try it next time a clinic visit is tough to book.