Research indicates that the Picture Exchange Communication System® (PECS®) is an evidence-based communication approach for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, little is known about PECS-related parent training, treatment fidelity, or generalization and maintenance of skills. The purpose of the current study was to explore strategies to help parents support their child's PECS use at home. One child with ASD and both his parents participated. Researchers used behavioral skills training to teach target PECS skills and applied general case training strategies to actively program for generalization. A multiple baseline design across skills was used to monitor the primary parent trainee's fidelity during training sessions and a multiple probe design was embedded to monitor both parents' treatment fidelity in the natural environment with their child. The parent trainee demonstrated target PECS skills within the training setting. However, parents did not reliably demonstrate all target PECS skills in the generalization setting during follow-up.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often present with challenging behaviors such as aggression, tantrums, or noncompliance. Behavior analytic interventions are considered evidence‐based for decreasing challenging behaviors and may include a combination of strategies to teach replacement behaviors and prevent and respond to challenging behaviors. However, multi‐component interventions are often implemented in treatment settings by professionals and effects may not generalize to the home. Little research has explored the levels of treatment integrity with which multi‐component interventions are implemented by parents. This study evaluated the use of behavior skills training (BST) with ongoing coaching to train parents of two children with ASD to implement multi‐component behavioral interventions in the home to decrease challenging behaviors. Treatment integrity was monitored for each treatment component, and attempts were made to minimize barriers to treatment integrity. Results support the use of BST with ongoing coaching. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.