Short report: Experiences of Caregivers Participating in a Telehealth Evaluation of Development for Infants (TEDI)

Abstract

A growing literature supports the feasibility and validity of telehealth-based assessments for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Better understanding families’ experiences is crucial for sustained use beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. This study qualitatively examines caregiver experiences with the Telehealth Evaluation of Development for Infants (TEDI) protocol to better understand benefits and challenges of telehealth-based evaluations. Caregivers (N = 32) completed an online survey following a telehealth-based evaluation with their 6–12 month-old infants. Open-ended text responses to queries about perceived benefits, challenges, and suggestions for future adaptations were coded. Most caregivers reported positive experiences with minor feedback relating to tailoring of individual needs. Responses suggest the TEDI is a feasible approach and provide guidance for components of successful telehealth evaluations more broadly.

Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…Providers score several measures (e.g., AOSI, the ESDM curriculum checklist, the Early Communication Indicator; Greenwood et al, 2010) based on the interaction. The initial study suggested acceptable interrater reliability (0.65; Talbott et al, 2019) and positive caregiver feedback (Talbott, Lang, et al, 2022).…”