Parent Training Brittany Kocher Russell Petersen Janae Brown

Parent Training  Welcome to the Parent training!  We are happy to have you here and the chance to provide help for you!

Your Experience  As providers we have an idea of the challenges and struggle you face each day!  It can be extremely frustrating!  We are happy to be helping and serving your family  Your child, like many others, might excel at certain things and might potentially struggle with other aspects of life… for example

Parent Training  Your child is fun and happy but…  really struggles with communication

Parent Training  What do you do?  Where do you go?  You feel helpless or that you don’t matter  You want to help your child…

Parent Training  There is an answer!!!  There are experts that are trained to help you and resources available to you to help your child!  Research has shown that parents can be effectively used to help their children implement interventions to increase their child's communication skills  Researchers have found that parents could be effectively taught to implement discrete-trial teaching (Lafasakis & Sturmey, 2007; Charlop-Christy & Capenter, 2000)  Lafasakis and Sturmey (2007) also found that parents were able to generalize the methods they had learned to new skills and programs which can help increase understanding of words and improve speech in children (Drew et. al, 2002)

Parent Training  When beginning services at any facility remember you are the EXPERT on your child!  No one knows your child better than you!  When services start you will be asked to provide helpful information to begin services information such as  You are going to be asked to complete some questionnaires  You will be interviewed by a behavior analyst either in person or on paper  You might be asked to complete data sheets for further information  You might be asked to participate in some trainings to learn about the interventions that will be used  You are the most vital and crucial resource to your child’s success!  You are needed!!

Parent Training  Parent training teaches parents the skills to implement different ABA strategies and interventions  It can come in a variety of different formats such as:  Individual  Group  Combination

Parent Training  Why do you need parent training?  This helps the parents know exactly what to do!  Makes parents an active participant  Parents will see the progress and know their children  Gives parents a meaningful role  Parents are very useful and their input is extremely important!  Generalization  This will help their children to expand their interactions in the community.  Helps generalize skills to home and other environments

Getting Started with using PECS

PECS

Who should use PECS?  Children with Autism who are nonverbal  Children with speech delays  Children with Verbal Apraxia  Verbal Children who need help with initiating a conversation or responding to responses

What are PECS? Pictures that are used to communicate. There are 6 phases you go through while teaching someone how to use PECS. A child also learns how to discriminate between pictures and how to form a sentence. Pictures have a piece of Velcro on the back which attaches to a strip of Velcro on a binder. In the beginning children will have their favorite items on the board. (PECS, n.d.)

Phase 1: How to Communicate Goal: Initiate communication by approaching people  Student uses a single picture to exchange for item or activity they really want.  Make sure to use a desirable item during this phase.  There should always be two adults with the student. One adult is the communicative partner and the second adult is the physical prompt.  Only 1 picture at a time.  3 Step Sequence  1. Pick Up  2. Reach  3. Release  Staff will Now Demonstrate Phase 1 (PECS, n.d.)

Now Role Play with Partner

Phase 2: Distant and Persistence  The adult who is labeled the communicative partner is to move further away from the student.  You are still only to use 1 picture.  You are to use a variety of people, activities, locations, and reinforcers.  There is constant repetition.  The picture on the communication board is moved further away from the student.  Staff will Demonstrate Phase 2 (PECS, n.d.)

Now Role Play with Partner

Phase IIIA: Simple Discrimination  There are now two different pictures.  The one picture is of something they want and the other is something they do not want.  There is now only one adult in this phase.  You must reinforce right away.  Staff will Demonstrate Phase 3A (PECS, n.d.)

Now Role Play with Partner

How to Determine if Parent Training is Successful  You should have parents fill out a evaluation so they can provide feedback. Based on the evaluations you will know what you need to change or not change.  Children are showing improvements. This will mean parents are implementing the training at home.  Looking at data from home to see if children are increasing communication and decreasing behavior.

Overview of Clinic Wide Implementation Plan  The clinic is called A2Z Communication and Learning Enterprise. We are a facility to help children with communication issues. We are also very devoted in helping the family and giving them the resources they need.  The director of the clinic has their doctorate in Applied Behavior Analysis with a specialization in communication interventions as well as social skills. There will be two to three BCBA on staff.  We want children to become more independent through learning communication skills to decrease behaviors and increase communication.  We try to make sure the parents have all the resources they need to implement at home what they are taught here at the facility.  We will receive funding through the RGK Foundation Grant which will be for $25,000. The money will be used for supplies and training materials.

Final Tips  One of the most important things for you to remember is to NEVER give up.  Yes, it may get hard but it will get better.  Do not expect fast and huge improvements because it will take time. It may go slow which may cause you to become frustrated because you don’t see results quick enough.

References  Drew, A., Baird, G., Baron-Cohen, S., Cox, A., Slonims, V., Wheelwright, S., &... Charman, T. (2002). A pilot randomized control trial of a parent traHeining intervention for pre-school children with autism: Preliminary findings and methodological challenges. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 11(6), doi: /s  Frost, L., & Bondy, A. (2011). A Clear Picture: The Use and Benefits of PECS [Pamphlet]. Pyramid Educational Consultants.  Hendricks, D. R. (2009). Parent-implemented intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders: Online training module. (Chapel Hill, NC: National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders, FPG Child Development Institute, UNC-Chapel Hill). In Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI) Autism Internet Modules, Columbus, OH: OCALI.

Reference  Johnson, C. R., Handen, B. L., Butter, E., Wagner, A., Mulick, J., Sukhodolsky, D. G., &... Smith, T. (2007). Development of a parent training program for children with pervasive developmental disorders. Behavioral Interventions, 22(3), doi: /bin.237  Lafasakis, M., & Sturmey, P. (2007). Training parent implementation of discrete- trial teaching: Effects on generalization of parent teaching and child correct responding. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40(4),  PECS. (n.d.). Retrieved February 28, 2016, from

Group Member Bios-Brittany Kocher  Brittany Kocher lives in West Virginia and works as a Special Education Teacher in an Autism Unit. She has been working as a Special Education teacher for five years. She is currently in her second semester at Ball State. She received her undergraduate in Elementary Education from West Liberty University (2009) and her graduate degree from West Virginia University(2013) for Special Education with Autism.

Group Member Bios- Russell Petersen  Russell Petersen is from southern Utah. He received his BCaBA in August of This is his second semester at Ball State University. He received his undergraduate degree from Southern Utah University. His Wife and him have one child and expecting another in August of this year. Russell works for a company called Chrysalis in Utah. This company provides residential services for individuals of all ages but mostly with adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

Group Member Bios-Janae Brown  Janae lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana and has been working at a clinic for the past 2 years. She is an RBT and also helps with training new staff members. In 2013 she received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.

Credit  Slides 2,4, 5-12, 24 Russell and Janae  Slides 1,13-23,23,25-29 Brittany