The Generalization Effects of Parent Training Across Stimulus Settings

Abstract

Five parents of nonverbal children were trained in two home settings to modify antecedents and consequences to their children's vocalizations. Generalization effects of the parent training on both the parent's and children's behaviors under different stimulus conditions were investigated using multiple-baseline designs. Increases in parent prompting and reinforcing their children's vocalizations generalized only minimally to a new setting in the home where parent training had not occurred. Child increases in vocalizations produced by the parents in the training settings did generalize to this new setting in the home. There was minimal generalization of child vocalizations to a free-play setting at school. In a formal speech session conducted by a behavior specialist at school, only one child showed definite increases in acquisition rate as a function of the parents starting to train the sound at home.

The Effects of Group Training and Individual Feedback on Parent Use of Milieu Teaching

“…All parents may benefit from specific training to optimize their natural role as first language teachers; however, such training may be especially important when children are having difficulty learning language. Enhancing parents' effectiveness as language teachers for their young children with developmental delays has been a topic of systematic inquiry for more than 15 years (c.f., MacDonald, Blott, Gordon, Spiegel, & Hartman, 1974;Miller & Sloane, 1976). By enhancing parents' use of naturalistic strategies that have been shown to be effective in teaching children new language skills, it is presumed that children will learn specific communication skills, generalization from other language training will be enhanced, and ultimately, that their language development will be facilitated (Kaiser, 1993).…”

“…Didactic studies commonly reported child acquisition of specific target skills during training sessions. There is limited evidence of generalization to spontaneous use in these studies (e.g., Miller & Sloane, 1976). Responsive Interaction studies have measured the impact of the parents' intervention on children's global language development (e.g., Tannock et a[., 1989) and, sometimes, other aspects of their development (e.g., Mahoney & Powell, 1988).…”

A comparison of the effects of child management and planned activities training in five parenting environments

“…This lack of consistent response by parents to training procedures has prompted researchers to identify marital, psychopathological, attitudinal, socioeconomic, and community contact variables that will discriminate families who are successful and unsuccessful in parent training (Griest & Wells, 1983;Wahler & Graves, 1983). Other research has shown that parents may have more difficulty in applying contingency management procedures in some settings than in others (Miller & Sloane, 1976;Sanders & Glynn, 1981). For example, some parents may require setting specific interventions to manage their children at mealtimes, bedtime, or on visits to the community such as shopping trips or dining out (Bauman, Reiss, Rogers, & Bailey, 1983;Sanders & Hunter, 1984).…”

Training Parents in Behavioral Self‐management: An Analysis of Generalization and Maintenance

“…Evidence from the parent training field indicates that parents do not necessarily apply their skills to other untreated problem behaviors, other siblings, new settings, or when therapist contact terminates (e.g., Forehand & Atkeson, 1977;Miller & Sloane, 1976;O'Dell, Flynn & Benlolo, 1977;Patterson, 1974;Rosenthal, 1976).…”