Theory of Change of Caregiver Coaching for an Early Parent-Mediated Autism Intervention.
Caregiver coaching works through teaching skills and lifting mood—track both to keep families moving.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Whaling et al. (2025) asked, "How does caregiver coaching really help families?"
They watched the families in Project ImPACT. Moms, dads, and coaches talked on video.
The team wrote down every idea. They built a map called a Theory of Change.
What they found
Two big roads lead to success. Road one: parents learn new skills. Road two: parents feel hopeful and calm.
When both roads are open, families use the skills at home and ask for more coaching.
How this fits with other research
Taylor et al. (1993) first drew a similar map. They saw six coach jobs, like cheerleader and teacher. M et al. keep those jobs but add the "feel hopeful" lane.
Austin et al. (2024) say, "Watch for trauma." The new map shows calm feelings lower stress, so the ideas link.
Machado et al. (2024) found parents of kids with ASD often have their own sensory issues. The map says addressing parent stress may also ease these sensory loads.
Why it matters
You now have a clear picture to check your parent coaching. Build learning and calm in every session. When a parent looks lost, ask, "Do you need the how-to or the why-to?" Track both roads and you should see more home practice and less parent burnout.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The goal of this study was to develop a comprehensive Theory of Change of caregiver coaching processes for an early social communication intervention for young autistic children, with attention to the caregiver learning process and a full constellation of outcomes for the caregiver and family unit. We interviewed intervention experts (n = 10), community providers (n = 22), and caregivers (n = 12) about their knowledge and experiences with a parent-mediated intervention (Project ImPACT), guided by the Theory of Change Framework. Qualitative interviews were transcribed and coded using the Framework Method and causation coding. We developed a comprehensive causal model which describes how both learning and motivational processes contribute to caregivers' implementation of the intervention, as well as broader outcomes with regard to sustainment, quality of life, advocacy, and goals and expectations. We also identified aspects of service need and contextual fit which inform the broader context for our theory of change. This study identified two mechanistic processes by which caregiver coaching impacts relevant short- and long-term caregiver and family outcomes, informed by practice-based knowledge. In the future, these findings can be used to guide empirical research that directly tests the mechanistic processes underlying effective parent-mediated interventions for young autistic children.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2025 · doi:10.1006/ceps.1999.1016