Examining parent use of specific intervention techniques during a 12-week training program based on the Early Start Denver Model.
Parents quickly learn and expand the exact ESDM moves they like, so let them choose the first targets to keep kids engaged.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Five moms of preschoolers with autism joined a 12-week parent-training course. The course taught them specific Early Start Denver Model moves like joining play and building language.
Each week a coach watched mom and child play at home. The coach counted how many ESDM moves the mom used.
What they found
Every mom used more ESDM moves by the end. Each mom picked her own favorite moves. One mom loved turn-taking games. Another liked naming toys.
Kids stayed more engaged when moms used the moves the kids liked best.
How this fits with other research
Contaldo et al. (2020) also saw good results when ESDM was run in mixed groups. Their kids gained language and daily-living skills. The new study shows parents can learn the same moves at home.
Rollins et al. (2016) coached parents in generic ABA and saw gains in eye contact and back-and-forth talk. Hannah’s team shows the exact ESDM moves parents can copy.
Pitchford et al. (2019) tried parent-delivered ESDM with toddlers who have fragile X. Parents learned the moves, but child gains were mixed. Hannah’s autism sample shows stronger child engagement when moms pick moves that fit their child.
Why it matters
You can teach parents discrete ESDM moves in just 12 weeks. Track which moves each parent likes and use those first. When parents use their preferred moves, kids stay engaged longer and you see faster progress.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Parents of young children with autism are often taught to deliver interventions which involve several different types of strategies. Research suggests that parents can usually learn to deliver these interventions but not much is known about their use of each specific intervention strategy. This study included five mothers of young children with autism who participated in a 12-week parent training program based on the Early Start Denver Model. We measured their use of 18 different ESDM strategies before, during, and 1 month after the training program. We found that parents increased the number of strategies that they used during the training program. There were differences between mothers in terms of the ESDM strategies that they used the most during the training. We also found that some of the strategies were more closely related to children's levels of engagement and language than others. This suggests that parent training should be adapted to suit each parent's needs.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2020 · doi:10.1177/1362361319876495