Effectiveness of a Tiered Model of a Family-Centered Parent Training for the Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a tiered model of a family-centered parent training for the families of children with autism spectrum disorder. In Experiment 1, The researchers conducted a family-centered parent training using a group format, evaluated whether the target behaviors of children increased, and categorized their parents’ spontaneous anecdotal descriptions of relevant situations recorded on parent monitoring sheets as relating to the antecedent, behavior, consequence, or setting. In Experiment 2, we examined the effect of an individualized family-centered parent training for a family whose child’s target behavior had not improved in Experiment 1. Both parent training programs consisted of selecting target behaviors, developing parenting procedures that consisted of antecedent control and consequence control, and modifying the parenting procedures on the basis of the results. The results of Experiment 1 suggested that the target behaviors of seven children increased as a result of parent monitoring. Only one parent was unable to increase the target behavior of her child; however, during Experiment 2, the completion rate of the child for the steps involved in his target behavior increased. These findings have implications for a tiered model of a family-centered parent training.