Parent Perspectives on Facilitating Social Communication Learning for Their Toddlers With Autism

• In Event: 64.086 - MTCC Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: 64.086-9 - Perspectives and Partnerships: Listening to Families of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Eleven parents of toddlers were interviewed to investigate their perceptions related to their ownership of the parent-child social learning process and its relationship to their early intervention experiences. Participants had experience with both traditional and parent-mediated early intervention, with the latter framed around mediated learning principles and focused on early social communication. A thematic analysis of the data followed multiple layers of independent coding by the authors. Resulting themes identified challenges and contributors to parent self-efficacy, a view of the child as his or her own person, and hopefulness for the child’s future. Features of parent-mediated intervention were identified as contributing to parent self-efficacy while professional-directed strategies appeared to detract from parents’ views of their own competence.

Authors

• Hannah Schertz, Indiana University

• Jessica Nina Lester, Indiana University