Biomaterial Database

In-home communication intervention training for parents of multiply handicapped children. 1995

J H Elder

University of Florida College of Nursing, J. Hillis Miller Health Center, Gainesville 32610, USA.

Two major questions derived from social-interactional theory were addressed: What are the effects of an in-home communication training program for parents on (1) the acquisition of child-training skills (imitating/animating and expectant waiting) by parents of developmentally delayed children who have severe language impairments and autistic features and (2) the acquisition of communication behaviors in the children themselves? Questions regarding the social value of the intervention and effects on parent-child interactions were also addressed. Four mothers were taught two parent-training skills (imitating/animating and expectant waiting) during two in-home training sessions. Following the parent training, the mothers conducted training sessions in their homes with their children for 10 minutes, three times per week for 8-12 weeks. All sessions were videotaped and frequency counts taken of the target parent skills and child target behaviors. A single subject experimental research design was used incorporating a multiple baseline across two parental child-training skills (i.e., imitating/animating, expectant waiting). Data were analyzed visually as is customary in single subject experimentation, and direct behavioral counts showed that all four mothers demonstrated increases in the frequency with which they used the child-training skills following treatment. Increases in four child behavior frequencies (i.e., vocal utterances, social responding, social initiating, and intelligible words spoken) were also noted. The ECO Scales Interaction Profile results supported direct behavioral count data, showing significantly improved parent-child interactions for the subject dyads over three conditions (p < .034). Additionally, Parental Consumer Satisfaction Questionnaire results indicated that the intervention was positively perceived by the parents. Furthermore, the utility of single subject experimentation procedures in clinical nursing practice was clearly demonstrated in this research, and the findings support nurse-conducted, in-home parent training as a practical and socially valid means of addressing the complex needs of chronically disabled children and their families.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007806	Language Disorders	Conditions characterized by deficiencies of comprehension or expression of written and spoken forms of language. These include acquired and developmental disorders.	Acquired Language Disorders,Language Disorders, Acquired,Acquired Language Disorder,Language Disorder,Language Disorder, Acquired
D008297	Male		Males
D009034	Mother-Child Relations	Interaction between a mother and child.	Mother-Child Interaction,Mother-Child Relationship,Mother-Infant Interaction,Mother-Infant Relations,Interaction, Mother-Child,Interaction, Mother-Infant,Interactions, Mother-Child,Interactions, Mother-Infant,Mother Child Interaction,Mother Child Relations,Mother Child Relationship,Mother Infant Interaction,Mother Infant Relations,Mother-Child Interactions,Mother-Child Relation,Mother-Child Relationships,Mother-Infant Interactions,Mother-Infant Relation,Relation, Mother-Child,Relation, Mother-Infant,Relations, Mother-Child,Relations, Mother-Infant,Relationship, Mother-Child,Relationships, Mother-Child
D010353	Patient Education as Topic	The teaching or training of patients concerning their own health needs.	Education of Patients,Education, Patient,Patient Education
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002659	Child Development Disorders, Pervasive	Severe distortions in the development of many basic psychological functions that are not normal for any stage in development. These distortions are manifested in sustained social impairment, speech abnormalities, and peculiar motor movements.	Pervasive Child Development Disorders,Pervasive Development Disorders
D002668	Child Rearing	The training or bringing-up of children by parents or parent-substitutes. It is used also for child rearing practices in different societies, at different economic levels, in different ethnic groups, etc. It differs from PARENTING in that in child rearing the emphasis is on the act of training or bringing up the child and the interaction between the parent and child, while parenting emphasizes the responsibility and qualities of exemplary behavior of the parent.	Childrearing,Rearing, Child
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man