Educating Parents: Behavioral Intervention in Autism

简介(申请人提供)：本申请旨在寻求资金，以支持一项成功的第一期计划的持续发展。第一阶段建议开发和评估最终以计算机为基础的课程的第一个模块，该课程由六个模块组成，题为“父母的行为干预(BIP)”。顾名思义，该课程旨在教育患有自闭症谱系障碍(ASD)儿童的父母行为干预(BI)的性质、目的和程序。第一个单元，了解自闭症的行为干预，是在第一阶段完成的，它是在彻底的需求分析之后开发的，其中包括三个家长焦点小组。参与随后现场评估的家长获得了关键内容知识(41%意味着从测试前到测试后的进步)。他们对内容和在线演示也非常满意；Likert类型调查的平均总体满意度评分为4.1(1=不满意，3=中等满意，5=非常满意)。学员的意见进一步明确了满意度的来源，并对今后单元的改进提出了建议。BI仍然是一种共识的基于科学的教学方法，用于建立关键的发展技能和预防/治疗自闭症的不良适应行为(国家研究委员会，2001)。在考虑和安排BI和其他服务时，患有自闭症儿童的父母需要尽早和有效地与医疗、心理和教育专业人员互动。我们的第一阶段实地评估数据支持我们在在线学习领域进行的其他项目的结果和结论，并表明家长的直接教育需求，因为消费者可以通过适当设计和吸引人的网络产品来满足。这项第二阶段提案的目的是完成五个额外的在线模块的开发，以支持更多样化的自闭症儿童家长在以下领域进行高效学习：1)BI中的数据和责任；2)通过BI发展儿童技能；3)不良适应行为的原因、评估和积极干预；4)BI和教育系统；以及5)选择合格的BI人员。第二阶段设计的一个突出特点是纳入了商业智能战略的互动视频演示。拟议的项目和由此产生的产品将直接使自闭症患者受益。通过向自闭症儿童的父母传授行为干预的基础知识，他们将更好地了解选择专业水平的行为干预，并能够更好地直接帮助此类干预。适当的行为干预可以促进学习和行为改变，最终可以为自闭症患者带来更多独立生活的机会。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This STTR Phase II application seeks funds to support the continued development of a successful Phase I project. Phase I proposed the development and evaluation of the first in an eventual six-module computer-based course entitled "Behavioral Intervention for Parents (BIP)." As the title implies, the course will be designed to educate parents of young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the nature, purpose and procedures of behavioral intervention (BI). The first module, Understanding Behavioral Intervention in Autism, was completed during Phase I. It was developed following a thorough needs analysis that included three parent focus groups. Parents who participated in the subsequent field evaluation acquired critical content knowledge (41% mean improvement from pre- to post-test). They also were highly satisfied with the content and online presentation; the mean overall satisfaction rating on a Likert-type survey (1=unsatisfied, 3=moderately satisfied, 5=extremely satisfied) was 4.1. Participant comments further specified sources of satisfaction and suggestions for improvement in future modules. BI remains a consensus "best practice" science-based teaching methodology for establishing critical developmental skills and preventing/treating maladaptive behavior in ASD (National Research Council, 2001). Parents of children with ASD need to interact early and effectively with medical, psychological and educational professionals as BI and other services are considered and arranged. Our Phase I field-evaluation data support the results and conclusions of other projects we have conducted in the area of online learning, and indicate parents' immediate educational needs as consumers can be met with an appropriately designed and engaging web-based product. The purpose of this Phase II proposal is to complete development of five additional online modules to support efficient learning by a more diverse population of parents of children with ASD in the areas of: 1) data and accountability in BI; 2) child skill development through BI; 3) causes, assessment and positive intervention for maladaptive behavior; 4) BI and the educational system; and 5) selecting qualified BI personnel. A prominent feature of the Phase II design will be the incorporation of interactive video demonstrations of BI strategies. The proposed project and the resulting product will directly benefit individuals with autism. By teaching the fundamentals of behavioral intervention to parents of children with autism, they will be better informed about selecting professional-level behavioral intervention, and better able to aid in such intervention directly. Appropriate behavioral intervention enhances learning and behavior change, and ultimately can lead to greater the opportunities for independent living for individuals with autism.