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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2020 Sep;53(4):1856-1875.
doi: 10.1002/jaba.778. Epub 2020 Sep 28.

A randomized clinical trial of a virtual-training program for teaching applied-behavior-analysis skills to parents of children with autism spectrum disorder

Wayne W Fisher  1 , Kevin C Luczynski  2 , Andrew P Blowers  2 , Megan E Vosters  3 , Maegan D Pisman  2 , Andy R Craig  4 , Stephanie A Hood  5 , Mychal A Machado  6 , Aaron D Lesser  2 , Cathleen C Piazza  7
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

A randomized clinical trial of a virtual-training program for teaching applied-behavior-analysis skills to parents of children with autism spectrum disorder

Wayne W Fisher et al. J Appl Behav Anal. 2020 Sep.

Abstract

Parents play an important role in the treatment of their children's symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD); thus, developing effective, efficient, socially acceptable, and accessible procedures for training parents to implement applied-behavior-analysis (ABA) interventions is critically important. One potential approach involves delivering training via a virtual private network (VPN) over the internet (Fisher et al., 2014). In this study, we conducted a randomized clinical trial to evaluate a virtual parent-training program with e-learning modules and scripted role-play via a VPN. We evaluated parent implementation of ABA skills using direct-observation measures in structured-work and play-based training contexts. Parents in the treatment group showed large, statistically significant improvements on all dependent measures; those in the waitlist-control group did not. Parents rated the training as highly socially acceptable. Results add to the growing literature on the efficacy and acceptability of virtually delivered training in ABA.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder; behavioral skills training; early intensive behavioral interventions; telehealth; telemedicine; video conferencing; virtual care.

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References

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