PARENT TRAINING

Parent training is an important building block of effective Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services. Parent training involves “educative interventions with parents that aim to help them cope better with the problems they experience with their children” (Callias, 1994, cited in O’Reilly, 1995, p. 63). Parents are usually the primary caregiver, and therefore play a valuable role in teaching new skills and managing challenging behaviors displayed by individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other special needs. The goal of parent training is to provide parents with useful information and resources, teach them new skills and supplement or enhance their parenting strategies (Brookman-Frazee, Stahmer, Baker-Ericzen, & Tsai, 2006). If these goals are met, long-term child outcomes can be potentially improved (Simpson, 2001).

Parent training offers many benefits for families with children with special needs, such as helping parents learn successful ways to improve their child’s abilities, address their challenging behaviors, and reinforce their development and progress. Research has also found a decrease in parental stress following parent training sessions (Smith, Buch, & Gamby, 2000) and has also found an increase in parental optimism and access to recreation time (Koegel, Schreibman, Britten, Burke, & O’Neill, 1982). Further, effective parent training can lead to increased family satisfaction and reduced possibility of the child being placed in a residential setting (Harrold, Lutzker, Campbell, & Touchette, 1992). Another important aspect of parent training is that parents can contact high levels of reinforcement when they implement interventions that result in positive behavior change.

Parent training is a comprehensive tool for many families. It can be tailored to target different functions and is versatile as it can be adapted to the needs of each parent, the behaviors they are addressing and the skill deficits of each child. Parent training can be beneficial and helpful even if a child does not receive direct ABA services, as it offers parents the opportunity to receive support and direction from a certified behavior analyst who has been trained in creating personalized recommendations and intervention plans that lead to meaningful change for individuals with special needs. During parent training, behavior analysts develop and deliver individualized programs for parents after careful consideration of their child’s current abilities, skills and needs, to help them make realistic and measurable progress. Additionally, parent training is critical as it may be the only way for some families to receive services due to a variety of reasons, such as living in rural areas or a lack of providers in their area.

Parent training is based on the exchange of knowledge between a trained behavior analyst and parents. More specifically, the detailed knowledge of the broad spectrum of behavioral principles so that parents are encouraged to adjust interventions to the unique needs of their own child. While autism awareness and education are two very important factors in ensuring quality treatment of individuals with autism spectrum disorders, training parents to use evidence-based practices to effectively work with their children is a key factor in creating an environment that supports positive behavior and growth for every child.