Augmenting Caregiver Responsiveness: An Intervention Proposal for Youngsters with Autism in Brazil

• Published in: Early childhood education journal 2016-02, Vol.44 (1), p.39-49
• Main Authors: Nunes, Débora R. P., Araújo, Eliana R., Walter, Elizabeth, Soares, Rute, Mendonça, Camila
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Autism; Brazil; Caregivers; Children & youth; Culture; Early Intervention; Education; Feasibility Studies; Foreign Countries; Interpersonal Communication; Language Acquisition; Language disorders; Language Impairments; Language Usage; Learning and Instruction; Males; Mothers; Parent Participation; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Program Effectiveness; Responses; Sociology; Sociology of Education; Sons; Thinking Skills; Young Children
• ISSN: 1082-3301; 1573-1707
• DOI: 10.1007/s10643-014-0677-y

Language disorders that affect children with autism spectrum disorder can bring significant damage to their overall development. Research shows that the best treatment practices for this population are those that start early, have active parental collaboration and are held in natural milieu. In Brazil, early intervention programs are typically held in clinical environments and rarely involve parents as intervention agents. With autism becoming a high-incidence disability, diagnosed early in life, it is paramount that alternative forms of treatment be introduced in the country. The general purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using a parent-guided intervention model with Brazilian families. The participants included two mothers and their 3 year old sons, who were diagnosed with autism. Outcome measures included estimates of caregiver responsive language input and children’s communication turns evaluated during home interactions. The results indicated that both dyads increased their levels of responsiveness in, at least, one routine following treatment. Implications of the findings are discussed considering cultural variables.