Characterizing the parent role in school-based interventions for autism: A systematic literature review.

Abstract

Parent-focused intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has garnered considerable evidence of effectiveness for treating core symptoms of the disorder. However, these programs often teach parents discrete skills that may or may not align with school-based interventions. Family–school partnerships (FSPs) are essential for children with ASD given the complex presentation of symptoms characteristic of this disorder. It is unclear how and to what degree current school-based interventions for children with ASD include parents and whether their inclusion is consistent with definitions of parent involvement or FSPs established in the literature. A systematic review of the school-based intervention literature for children with ASD was conducted on studies published between 2002 and 2017. Thirty-six articles met inclusion criteria. Results indicated interventions included parents in ways consistent with both parent involvement and FSPs, though the former model was more common. Findings suggest a need for greater focus on measuring parent behavioral outcomes when evaluating intervention effectiveness and developing or refining interventions to include meaningful family–school partnering.

Implementation of Video Feedback Within a Community Based Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention Program for Toddlers With ASD: Pilot Study

“…For caregiver behavioral change to occur in VF, it is important that families buy into the utility of the video recording and review ( 1 ), as they did in the present study. Our VF intervention allowed for the inclusion of caregivers not just as passive recipients of intervention, but also in the roles of intervention collaborator and agent of the intervention ( 49 ), promoting caregiver buy-in to the intervention. In addition, caregivers in the NDBI+VF group reported increased insight into their own interactive strategy implementation because they reported that VF helped “to understand how we can play with our kids,” and “to find my shortcomings,” consistent with reflections of caregivers who received VF in past studies ( 23 , 27 , 50 ).…”

Parenting stress and autistic children’s emotional problems relate to family-school partnerships and parent mental health.

“…With the prevalence of autism among school-age children and the high occurrence of comorbid behavior, emotional, and medical issues, autistic children may benefit from supportive school environments that bolster parent-teacher relationship quality and family involvement (Shahidullah et al, 2020). However, research examining parent-teacher relationship quality and family involvement among families of autistic students is limited (Rispoli et al, 2019). Rispoli et al (2019) specifically noted the need for additional research that can inform the development of family-school interventions for autistic children.…”

“…However, research examining parent-teacher relationship quality and family involvement among families of autistic students is limited (Rispoli et al, 2019). Rispoli et al (2019) specifically noted the need for additional research that can inform the development of family-school interventions for autistic children. Intervention development requires the careful study of contextual factors that are proximal to adoption, implementation and maintenance, positioning child behavioral and physical health, and parent mental health as primary targets (Meyers et al, 2012).…”

“The Voice of the Parent Cannot be Undervalued”: Pre-Service Teachers’ Observations after Listening to the Experiences of Parents of Students with Disabilities

“…Teachers of all students, but even more importantly, teachers of students with special learning needs/disabilities, must also be comfortable working with the parents of their students, and strong parent-school partnerships are critical in facilitating this expectation [3,[5][6][7]. According to a 2015 report from the United States Department of Education [8], the majority of the parents surveyed participated in a school-related activity, including parent-teacher conferences, school/class events, volunteering, and/or fundraising.…”