Telepractice Delivery of Caregiver Coaching for Parents of School-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Taiwan: A Pilot Study

TL;DR

This pilot study in Taiwan explores using telepractice to coach parents of children with autism, showing improved communication outcomes and highlighting challenges.

Contribution

The study introduces a novel telepractice protocol for parent coaching in Taiwan, focusing on culturally responsive practices and service intensity.

Findings

Online parent coaching increased use of evidence-based strategies for children with ASD.

Children's communication behaviors improved following parent coaching.

Challenging child behaviors affected coaching intensity and effectiveness.

Abstract

Parental involvement is essential in interventions aimed at enhancing communication outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Research has shown that parents can effectively implement evidence-based strategies following professional coaching. However, there is a notable gap in research on the procedures of parent coaching provided to families of children with ASD in Taiwan. This study aims to evaluate a protocol for distance-delivered parent coaching focused on the implementation of evidence-based strategies for parents of children with ASD. This study employed a multiple-probe design across participants to assess both parent implementation of intervention strategies and the communication outcomes of the children involved. The results demonstrated that the online parent coaching program effectively increased parents’ use of evidence-based intervention strategies, which corresponded to measurable improvements in the target communication behaviors of children with ASD. Also, this study highlighted potential challenges, such as the influence of children’s challenging behaviors on the intensity and effectiveness of parent coaching. These findings contribute to the clinical significance of distance caregiver coaching as a possible approach to supporting families of children with ASD, particularly in underserved areas. The necessity of tailoring service intensity and incorporating culturally responsive practices for the diverse needs of families of children with ASD and effective intervention implementation is discussed in this study.

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