This study examined long-term mediating effects of the "smalltalk" parenting intervention on children's effortful control at school age (7.5 years; 2016-2018). In 2010-2012, parents (96% female) of toddlers (N = 1201; aged 12-36 months; 52% female) were randomly assigned to either: standard playgroup, "smalltalk" playgroup…

For children with autism or other complex communication needs (CCN), access to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems can increase opportunities to effectively participate in many aspects of daily life. The use of AAC can enhance communication, language, and learning for children with CCN (Hidecker, 2020), and allows for…

Background: Communication partner training (CPT) for people with aphasia (PWA) is an evidence-based approach that supports patients' abilities to effectively communicate with their healthcare providers. Efforts to create efficient training programmes, which aim to instil appropriate practices and attitudes prior to working with patients, have the…

The National Research Council recommends 25 hr per week of active engagement for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This clinical brief describes a parent training program (PACE-CPI) designed to increase active engagement episodes between parents and children with autism. Observations from this program's introductory use with one family…

The parent educational process was developed by implementing Participatory Action Research (PAR), using Contemplative Education and Positive Psychology Coaching approaches. Herein, our aim is to promote emotional well-being for preschoolers aged 3-6 years. Participants included 9 parents and 9 preschoolers who were involved in the process for…

Parent training programs aimed at improving language outcomes for children with complex communication needs have predominantly been evaluated on child-centered outcomes and less often on the impact on social life or parental well-being. This study examined parent perceptions of social life before and after ComAlong, a group intervention providing…

Research talks about the importance of the family in the development of social and emotional competencies of children. In this paper, we wanted to explore whether the Friendship cards (FC) (a theoretically derived preventive educational game) helped to improve the relationship between the participants and their children and whether it helped in…

The overall aim was to examine participants' perceptions of a communication course as held for parents of children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities. The course curriculum included responsive strategies and augmentative and alternative communication. The research questions addressed the favourability, changes in parents' or…

Siblings of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (ND) are at increased risk of mental health problems. The burden on families of children with ND is exacerbated in low-income countries with limited health services and dependency on informal care systems. Yet, there is little research on family impacts of ND in non-Western settings, and no…

The use of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in the child's natural setting is critical for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to improve communication skills and promote generalization. Yet, to implement EBPs effectively, caregivers often require training. The purpose of this study is to explore the efficacy of behavior skills…

Researchers report that caregiver-implemented communication interventions are effective and feasible. However, limited information is available on training and coaching programs for families who speak languages other than English in their homes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a parent training and coaching program originally designed to…

Immigrant parents and their adolescent children face unique stressors that have been linked to an increased prevalence of negative mental health outcomes. Limited research has evaluated the use of brief, culturally sensitive, school-based mental health programming for immigrant families. The current study sought to evaluate the effectiveness and…

Background: Early language input contributes to children's healthy brain development and sets the stage for life-long achievement and wellness. Parents vary in their ability to offer rich language support within the home environment due to social and contextual factors. There is a lack of research on the effectiveness of a universal prevention…

Numerous developmental difficulties differentiate children with autism from typically developing children, including delays in social communication skills. In this study, we used a multiple baseline design across three behaviors (i.e., imitation, behavioral requests, and response to joint attention) for two parent-child dyads to investigate the…

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the feasibility of a telepractice communication partner intervention for children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and their parents. Method: Five children (aged 3;4-12;9 [years;months]) with severe expressive communication impairments who use AAC and their parents enrolled in a…