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Caregiver-Delivered Programs: Enhancing Outcomes for Autistic Preschoolers Through Virtual Support

Caregiver-Delivered Programs: Enhancing Outcomes for Autistic Preschoolers Through Virtual Support
Caregiver-delivered programs are increasingly recognized as an effective strategy to support communication development in autistic preschoolers. The recent study titled "We were the best people to do the job: Caregivers reported outcomes of a virtual caregiver-delivered program for autistic preschoolers" provides valuable insights into the qualitative outcomes of such programs, emphasizing the critical role of caregivers in the therapeutic process.

While quantitative research has traditionally dominated the evaluation of these programs, this study highlights the importance of understanding caregivers' perspectives to ensure that programs meet the needs of those who use them. The study explored the outcomes of the More Than Words (MTW) program, a virtual caregiver-delivered program, by analyzing interviews with 21 caregivers who had recently participated in the program.

Five key themes emerged from the analysis:

These themes fall within four components of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) framework: Activities, Participation, Personal Factors, and Environmental Factors. Notably, no themes were identified under Body Structures and Functions, suggesting a shift away from traditional biomedical outcomes to more functional and meaningful outcomes for families.

Practical Implications for Clinicians

For speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and other practitioners, these findings offer several actionable insights:

Encouraging Further Research

This study underscores the need for more qualitative research to complement quantitative findings. By exploring caregivers' lived experiences, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of the outcomes that matter most to families. Future research should consider the long-term impacts of caregiver-delivered programs and develop tools to measure outcomes within the Participation, Personal Factors, and Environmental Factors components of the ICF framework.

To read the original research paper, please follow this link: We were the best people to do the job: Caregivers reported outcomes of a virtual caregiver-delivered program for autistic preschoolers.


Citation: Denusik, L., Glista, D., Servais, M., Friesen, J., Oram, J., & Cunningham, B. J. (2024). We were the best people to do the job: Caregivers reported outcomes of a virtual caregiver-delivered program for autistic preschoolers. Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, 2396-9415. https://doi.org/10.1177/23969415241244767
Marnee Brick, President, TinyEYE Therapy Services

Author's Note: Marnee Brick, TinyEYE President, and her team collaborate to create our blogs. They share their insights and expertise in the field of Speech-Language Pathology, Online Therapy Services and Academic Research.

Connect with Marnee on LinkedIn to stay updated on the latest in Speech-Language Pathology and Online Therapy Services.

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