Increasing Responsive Parent–Child Interactions and Joint Engagement: Comparing the Influence of Parent-Mediated Intervention and Parent Psychoeducation

Abstract

Enhancing immediate and contingent responding by caregivers to children’s signals is an important strategy to support social interactions between caregivers and their children with autism. Yet, there has been limited examination of parents’ responsive behaviour in association with children’s social behaviour post caregiver-mediated intervention. Eighty-five dyads were randomized to one of two 10-week caregiver-training interventions. Parent–child play interactions were coded for parental responsivity and children’s joint engagement. Significant gains in responsivity and time jointly engaged were found post JASPER parent-mediated intervention over a psychoeducation intervention. Further, combining higher levels of responsive behaviour with greater adoption of intervention strategies was associated with greater time jointly engaged. Findings encourage a focus on enhancing responsive behaviour in parent-mediated intervention models.

Efficacy of early interventions for infants and young children with, and at risk for, autism spectrum disorders

“…While many parents benefit from coaching in implementation of child-responsive strategies, some are slow adopters (Schertz & Odom, 2007; Shire, Gulsrud, & Kasari, 2016). This could be due to a number of factors.…”

“…Eldevik et al, 2010; Magiati, Charman, & Howlin, 2007; Virués-Ortega, Rodriguez, & Yu, 2013). Related to dosage is fidelity of implementation, which is associated with improved child behaviour and reduced parent stress (Aldred et al, 2004; Shire et al, 2016; Strauss et al, 2012). Some researchers did not identify dosage effects, but instead reported that interventionist characteristics (e.g.…”

The impact of caregiver‐mediated JASPER on child restricted and repetitive behaviors and caregiver responses

“…Exploratory analyses also examined whether caregivers were more successful in their responses to child RRBs following intervention. Our hypotheses were based on the prior findings of Gulsrud, Hellemann, Shire, and Kasari [], Kasari et al [], and Shire, Gulsrud, and Kasari [] who all report data from this sample. Kasari et al [] found increases in joint engagement, play diversity, and play level.…”

The Longitudinal Effects of Parenting on Adaptive Behavior in Children with Fragile X Syndrome

“…In this respect our discovery of a substantial relationship between maternal responsivity and the VABS communication domain is further verification of our earlier findings. More generally, maternal responsivity has been repeatedly shown to be among the most potent environmental influences on a variety of child development measures across both typically and atypically developing children (Landry et al, 2006, 2001; Spiker et al, 2002; Warren & Brady, 2007; Shire et al, 2016). Furthermore, our findings regarding the influence of contingent maternal responsivity on child adaptive behavior underscores the fact that the manifestation of FXS is not just the product of innate biology, but is attributable to the dynamic and cumulative interaction of biology, behavior, and environment over time.…”