Parent Factors Related to Social Intervention Outcomes: Examining Immediate and Delayed Responders

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore several family-related factors that may be associated with treatment response to an evidence-based social communication intervention targeting preschoolers with disabilities or at-risk. We used multilevel modeling to conduct retrospective analyses of data collected across a series of single-case intervention studies. Forty-six preschoolers participated in the study. The results of the positive peer interactions analyses indicated that children from married, separated, or widowed homes and children with mothers with high maternal education levels tended to interact more positively with their peers and decreased in their amount of play verbalizations over time relative to children whose parents were divorced or had low maternal education levels. Similar data patterns were found for both the immediate responders (e.g., children who make immediate progress once an intervention program has begun) and delayed responders (e.g., children who make changes in behavior after receiving a few or several intervention sessions).

A Strategy to Increase the Social Interactions of 3-Year-Old Children With Disabilities in an Inclusive Classroom

“…Overall, the social communication intervention was highly effective in increasing parallel play behaviors, but these effects were not seen until approximately the fourth or fifth intervention session. Prior research demonstrates the vulnerability of children from low-income families with additional risk factors as typically found in Head Start settings (e.g., children from divorced families or single-parent homes, low maternal education) and the differential outcomes of these risks; specifically delayed responding to intervention programs (Stanton-Chapman, Peugh, Carter, & Jamison, 2012). However, the fact that all three participants increased in their frequency of parallel play rates is promising.…”