MODULE: Parent-Implemented Intervention

Parent-implemented intervention can be used by parents of children with ASD who have been trained by team members to use particular intervention strategies in the home and community. Although parent-implemented intervention effectively promotes positive outcomes for learners with ASD, it can be extremely challenging due to the amount of training and academic preparation needed by professionals to ensure that parents use the interventions as intended.

At a minimum, professionals who train parents should:

• be able to effectively implement any intervention strategy with the learner with ASD that they ask a parent to do;
• demonstrate effective behavior management and joint attention skills with the learner with ASD;
• be able to accurately describe the rationale and procedures for the intervention to the parent, adapting as needed and answering questions;
• have strategies for building rapport and mutual respect with parents; and
• be able to problem solve with parents when they or their child is having difficulty.