Parents Plus: Examining the Promise of a Caregiver-Implemented Intervention for Young Children

• In Event: Child and Family Experience in Early Learning Settings

Abstract

Nearly 1 million preschoolers in the U.S. have a disability, with the largest percentage (40%) having developmental language disorders. Early intervention is critical because early language skills are related to school readiness and later academic success. Equipping parents with the skills to support their preschool children’s language development leads to improved child language outcomes but providing training to parents is logistically challenging. We developed Parents Plus, an online training program, to provide a feasible means to teach parents of young children how to promote their children’s language skills. This session presents an overview of Parents Plus and findings from a RCT on children’s language outcomes, parents’ perceptions of the usability and feasibility of Parents Plus and their fidelity of implementation.

Authors

• Brook Sawyer, Lehigh University

• Carol Scheffner Hammer, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Julie Smith, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Julie Santoro, Lehigh University

• Annemarie H. Hindman, Temple University