Evaluation of a Self-Instructional Package for Teaching Parents to Conduct Discrete-Trials Teaching with Children with Autism

Abstract

Discrete-trials teaching (DTT) is commonly used in early intensive behavioral intervention for teaching children with ASD. In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of the Fazzio and Martin DTT self-instructional package (2011) with mothers of children with ASD as participants. We used a multiple-baseline design across a pair of participants, and replicated across a second pair. During the baseline assessment, a participant was asked to teach three tasks to a confederate. Once baseline data was collected, the participant had the opportunity to study the self-instructional package, after which she conducted a post-treatment DTT session with the confederate. If she did not achieve mastery (set at 80%) in post-treatment assessment she was provided with a feedback session, and then conducted an additional DTT session. The treatment package was very effective for training two of the mothers to implement DTT, and somewhat effective for the other two mothers who required a feedback session.