Social Validity Training Workshop for Caregivers of Children with Autism Shannon Leinert, Alicia Curran, and Savannah Kvanvig Training in Interdisciplinary Partnerships and Services for Kids Missouri Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Value “A Snapshot of Autism” training workshop was developed based on the following needs and concerns identified by parents of children with autism. 1)Will the caregiver know how to communicate with my child? 2)Will they know how to deal with my child’s behavior? 3)Will they engage with my child? Behavior Children with autism exhibit a wide range of behaviors (i.e., difficulty with transitions and changes in routines, rocking, self-stimulation, echolalia, etc.). Understanding the ABC’s of behavior, an evidence based strategy, will help caregivers figure out the function of the behavior and work towards changing the behavior. A= antecedent (what occurs immediately before the behavior) B= behavior (anything the child does both positive and negative) C= consequence (what occurs directly following the behavior i.e., reinforcement and consequence) Behavior Strategies Figure out the function of behavior using the ABC’s of behavior Be proactive not reactive Tell the child what is coming before it comes Catch and praise the good/appropriate behavior Limit your attention for unwanted/inappropriate behavior Model appropriate behavior Behavior Commun- ication Social Competency Background Parents of children with autism often experience stress when leaving their child with a caregiver, especially for the very first time. At the same time, respite care providers, babysitters and other caregivers often feel underprepared to care for children with behavioral, social and communication needs (Openden, et al., 2006). For our TIPS for Kids leadership project we partnered with the Friends of BCFR to offer a training workshop designed for caregivers (i.e., grandparents, aunts, uncles, Sunday school teachers, respite care providers, babysitters, etc.) caring for children with autism. Purpose “A Snapshot of Autism” training workshop served the following purposes: 1)Give caregivers basic skills and knowledge in the three core symptoms of autism (communication, behavior and social interactions) 2)Ensure that parents/guardians feel confident in their caregivers when they provide care for their child with autism, and 3) Promote safe and nurturing environments for children with autism. By building a strong foundation of knowledge in the areas of Communication, Behavior, and Social Skills in children with autism, Competency will be achieved. Communication Deficits in expressive and receptive language that are present in individuals with autism have a large impact on their ability to communicate with their caregivers. Individuals with autism often exhibit limited or scattered receptive language abilities, rigid or repetitive language, and poor non-verbal skills along with other syntactic, morphological, and semantic deficits. As a result individuals with autism are often poor conversational partners. “A Snapshot of Autism” training workshop introduced several strategies to facilitate communication in children with autism including the following: Communication Strategies Match your language to the level of the child’s understanding Rule of thumb: use the same or slightly more words/utterance that they do Use concrete language Provide choices Ask yes/no questions Use visual cues or aids Encourage total communication An overview of augmentative and alternative communication was also provided. Social Interaction Individuals with autism often demonstrate deficits in social skills and social competence which impair their ability to develop and maintain relationships with peers and adults. In fact, the DSM-IV recognizes difficulty in social interactions as a characteristic for ASD. Often, individuals with autism will not naturally engage in social interactions, unless strategies are in place. “A Snapshot of Autism” training workshop introduced a number of strategies described within three areas to promote facilitation of social interactions (Bookman et al., 2003): Time and schedule was convenient50% agree Information presented was clear and easy to understand100% agree Workshop was a good use of time100% agree Sufficient time for participations and questions83% agree An evaluation form was provided at the end of the workshop to each participant (N=6) Social Interaction Strategies Peer-mediated: encourage siblings, neighbors to share ideas, seek assistance, narrate play, extend conversations through questions, offer options, reinforce and take turns during activities Adult-facilitated: remember to purposefully narrate activities, provide positive specific verbal praise that states the behavior expectations, use precorrection and premacking principals and model the appropriate social interactions Self-determination: provide choices and make goals when engaging in activities to play to make the social interactions meaningful, motivating and fun!