Effects of Video Modeling on the Acquisition, Maintenance, and Generalization of Playing with Imaginary Objects in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Using eCoaching to Support Mothers' Pretend Play Interactions at Home

A unique component of early childhood involves understanding how caregivers and educators promote children's developmental outcomes, with play opportunities being a key avenue for enhancing these skills. Targeted coaching is one type of support that can tap into active family engagement during playful learning. This collective case study examined how remote-based eCoaching could support family-centered practices related to the facilitation of pretend play in caregivers of preschool children in the home setting. Four mother-child dyads of preschool children, with and without a disability, participated in eCoaching focusing on pretend play behaviors. During the implementation of eCoaching, three primary findings emerged related to knowledge acquisition, mothers' facilitation of play with their children, and changes in children's pretend play behaviors. In general, both mothers and children benefited from the eCoaching experience. In addition, mothers' perceptions of eCoaching as a means of family-based support were positive, and all deemed eCoaching easy to engage in and beneficial.

Familiarity of evidence based practices in Chinese caregivers of autistic children

Although researchers have investigated special educators' and clinicians' knowledge and use of evidence-based practices (EBPs), there is very little research on caregivers' perception of the importance of EBPs for their autistic children. Moreover, there is even less research on how EBPs have been translated or disseminated in international communities not within the English-speaking, Western population. In order to provide appropriate support for caregivers of autistic children in all communities, we need more information to identify possible barriers that may affect caregiver involvement. We used a survey to ask 81 Chinese caregivers of autistic children in Guangzhou, China to investigate their familiarity with EBPs for autistic individuals and any external sources used inform their decision about treatment options for their autistic child. Results showed that 58.6% of the participants had no knowledge of what an EBP was and an additional 29.7% of the participants had heard of EBPs but not sure what they were. These results amplify the need for increased dispersion of ASD intervention knowledge to global communities and how to increase caregiver knowledge on treatment options for their autistic child.

Improving pretend play for children with autism through experiencing the stimulus properties of real objects

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often lack symbolic play skills. Attribution of pretend properties (APP) is a type of symbolic play in which a child tacts pretend properties of an object (e.g., smelling a toy flower and saying, "It smells like a rose!"). Three Chinese boys (5-6 years of age) with ASD served as participants. A multiple-probe design across 5 objects was used to determine the effects of an intervention that involved having the child experience and tact sensory properties of real objects (e.g., rose). Corresponding test objects, including mock (e.g., a toy flower) and arbitrary objects (e.g., a stick), were used to evaluate whether tact responses for sensory properties were transferred. Results indicated that all 3 children emitted tacts of stimulus properties for test objects and maintained the skill for 7 to 10 weeks following the intervention. Two participants also tacted novel (nontarget) properties for test objects.