Date of Award
2008
Document Type
Dissertation
Publication Status
Version of Record
Submission Date
October 2026
Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]
Brady, Michael P.
Abstract
Children with autism may present delays in the development of social, communicative and cognitive skills. The behavioral features and patterns of development exhibited across domains can be very distinctive (Volkmar, 1999). This diversity in the expression of autism is what presents the greatest challenge for professionals and parents looking for the most appropriate and effective intervention for this population. Audio coaching intervention is one technology that has been used for over 50 years to train psychologists, medical interns, pre-service teachers, and parents of children with behavioral challenges (Baum, 1976; Crimmins, Bradlyn, St. Lawrence, & Kelly, 1984; Giebelhaus, 1994; Goodman, Brady, Duffy, & Scott, in press; Hunt, 1980; Kahan, 2002; Korner & Brown, 1952; Lindell, 2001; Werba, Eyberg, Boggs, & Algina, 2006). The intervention consists of a trainee receiving immediate feedback from a coach via a remote radio. However, the application of this technology has never been explored specifically for training parents of children with autism. The present study was designed to examine experimentally the effectiveness of the audio coaching intervention on parents' interactions with their children with autism. Three mothers and their children with autism participated in the study. The mothers received immediate feedback from a coach on prompts designed specifically for their children. Results showed that the audio coaching intervention was an effective medium to teach the mothers how to deliver effective prompts and praise to their children. Results of the intervention also generalized to tasks on which the mothers had never been trained, and maintained well after the coaching was withdrawn. All three children showed an increase in their engagement and completion of independent tasks and routines in their homes after their mothers increased their use of more effective prompts and praise.
Extent
105 p.
Recommended Citation
Oliver, Patricia, "The Effects of an Audio Coaching Intervention on Parents' Interactions with Their Children with Autism" (2008). Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2000 - 2009. 1580.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_general_5/1580
Identifier
FA00000685
Comments
Includes bibliography.|Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008.|College of Education|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Includes bibliography.