Communication intervention for children with severe neurodevelopmental disabilities: An application of telehealth as a service delivery mechanism
2016-08
Loading...
View/Download File
Persistent link to this item
Statistics
View StatisticsJournal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Title
Communication intervention for children with severe neurodevelopmental disabilities: An application of telehealth as a service delivery mechanism
Authors
Published Date
2016-08
Publisher
Type
Thesis or Dissertation
Abstract
The current study examined the efficacy of a parent-implemented communication assessment and intervention package with coaching via telehealth (i.e., video conferencing) on the acquisition of early communication skills for three young children (3- 4 years old) with severe neurodevelopmental disabilities. Assessment included a structured descriptive assessment (3 participants) and functional analysis (2 participants) to identify communicative contexts and idiosyncratic/potentially communicative responses for the participants. Following assessment, three communicative contexts with high levels of idiosyncratic responses were embedded with Functional Communication Training (FCT). To investigate the efficacy of FCT, participants’ use of aided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) responses and idiosyncratic responses were measured in an adapted multiple probe design across contexts. All three participants acquired the targeted AAC responses; whereas, prior to intervention, none of the participants engaged in easily recognizable communication forms. Idiosyncratic responses were functionally related to the reinforcers in the communicative contexts, as demonstrated by changes to response patterns during differential reinforcement. Parents implemented the interventions with a high level of fidelity to the coached procedures. At the conclusion of the study, parents rated the interventions as ‘highly acceptable.’ These results provide empirical evidence to telehealth-coached, parent-implemented FCT as an intervention to improve early communication skills for young children with severe neurodevelopmental disabilities. Implications are considered in regards to telehealth as a mechanism to improve access to communication intervention.
Description
University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. August 2016 2016. Major: Educational Psychology. Advisor: Jennifer McComas. 1 computer file (PDF); ix, 180 pages.
Related to
Replaces
License
Collections
Series/Report Number
Funding information
Isbn identifier
Doi identifier
Previously Published Citation
Suggested citation
Simacek, Jessica. (2016). Communication intervention for children with severe neurodevelopmental disabilities: An application of telehealth as a service delivery mechanism. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/182755.
Content distributed via the University Digital Conservancy may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor. By using these files, users agree to the Terms of Use. Materials in the UDC may contain content that is disturbing and/or harmful. For more information, please see our statement on harmful content in digital repositories.