25502
Using Technology to Support Early Intervention Providers to Build Capacity in Families of Toddlers at Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder
Caregivers are the most community-viable agents of change in providing necessary supports and services for very young children (12-24 months) at risk for ASD. Yet, research shows that the early intervention system is ill-prepared in the specific skills and methods needed to effectively collaborate with and coach caregivers (Friedman & Woods, 2012). In addition, personnel shortages in the early intervention system (Cason, Behl, & Ringwalt, 2012) have resulted in reduced quality and duration of services for families, particularly those living in rural areas (Hallam et al., 2009). Therefore, more innovative methods for providing support and coaching to Early Intervention Providers (EIPs) is necessary to ensure development of knowledge and skills and translation into practice (Bransford et al., 2000). However, there is a paucity of research on the effectiveness of coach-the-coach models supporting EIPs with the use of technology.
Objectives:
This ongoing project aims to improve collaborative coaching proficiencies of EIPs across Georgia via implementation of a coach-the-coach model focused on increasing knowledge of adult-learning strategies, early red flags for ASD, and supports to build family capacity to promote active engagement for toddlers at risk for ASD. The project utilizes innovative, mobile coaching technology to create a community-viable system for reaching families.
Methods:
This study is tracking the progress of 19 EIPs across Georgia, including underserved rural areas, coached to coach caregivers on increasing active engagement in toddlers at risk for ASD. Each EIP is coached over the course of a year, with most coaching sessions occurring via technology. Effectiveness of the coach-the-coach model is assessed using the SEE-KS™ (Rubin, E. et al., 2014) three-point rating scales. SEE-KS™ is a coaching framework based on Universal Design for Learning encompassing the principals of SCERTS® (Prizant et al., 2005).
Results:
SEE-KS™ subscales (Fostering Engagement, Presenting Information, and Allowing Child Expression) were generated by averaging corresponding items on the SEE-KS™ measure for each family at a baseline and follow-up time point per yearly quarter. Restricting the analysis to the first two quarters, mixed effects linear growth models were employed to determine if SEE-KS subscales significantly changed both within quarters and at baseline across quarters. Results show a significant change from baseline to follow-up within each quarter across all subdomains (all p<0.05) (See Table 1) and baseline for quarter 2 being higher than baseline at quarter 1 across all subdomains, though not significantly. The overall trends over time are all highly significant (p<0.001) which indicates a significant provider improvement over time (See Figure 1).
Conclusions:
These data indicate that the current coach-the-coach model resulted in caregivers providing increased supports to promote engagement, understanding, and expression in toddlers at risk for ASD. Through the use of innovative technology within the coach-the-coach model, EIPs were able to build caregiver capacity to implement supports and empower caregivers to utilize evidence-based supports. And though insignificant, the increasing baseline scores between quarter 1 and quarter 2 show that the EIPs are generalizing these skills from one family to the next.