The Relationship Between Effective Engagement and Developmental Age in Children with Autism

Abby Ramser

Lisa Ruble, PhD

Introduction

PDD-NOS Asperger’s Autism

"Autism is BEHAVIORALLY rather than..."

Autism is BEHAVIORALLY rather than MEDICALLY diagnosed

DSM IV (2000) defines autism as:

Qualitative impairment in social interaction and communication

Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interest, and activities.

Abnormal functioning in social interaction, language used in social interaction, or symbolic or imaginative play beginning before age three.

Engagement Research

National Research Council (2001) Educating Children with Autism recommends 25 hours per week of active engagement

McWilliams (1995): A positive relationship between developmental age and engagement

Mahoney (1999): Studies support the idea that responsiveness as opposed to directiveness is the beneficial characteristic of parents.

Active Engagement

E-QUAL III: Children’s Engagement Codes McWilliams and de Kruif (1998)

Actively engaged time: “Time children spend interacting with the environment in a developmentally and contextually appropriate manner.” McWilliams and Bailey(1995)

Intervention

About half of children with autism improve in developmental skills when they receive intensive early intervention.

Components of an effective program involve meaningful interactions

Reciprocal play, imitation, and communication

Purpose of Study

(a) to develop the Parent Engagement Scale (PES) which is based on the Child Engagement Scale.

(b) to examine the relationship between the PES and child characteristics.

Method

Participants

10 children and their parents

Assessed at STAR’s Early Childhood Evaluation

Materials

Parent Engagement Scale

Test Scores

Videos of parent-child free play

Materials

Parent Engagement Scale

Directiveness

Responsiveness

Affectiveness

Movement

Materials

Test Scores

ADOS

CARS

DAS

Vineland

Social Skills Survey (Parents and Teacher)

Communicative Functions

PLS-4 or Rosetti

Peabody

Procedure

Gather participants’ test scores

Code videos of parent-child free play

Results

• Interrater Reliability

r>.80

• Negative correlation between parent active engagement (responsive) and child developmental age

(r=-0.71, p <0.05)

Discussion

The PES was found to be reliable

Parents of children with more severe autism appear to demonstrate more active engagement with their child according to the PES

Further comparative study needed that looks at engagement after intervention

Future Implications

Parent-child interaction training

Global PES: Consistency

Child engagement improving as a result of productive parent engagement


		Qualitative impairment in social interaction and communication
		Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interest, and activities.
		Abnormal functioning in social interaction, language used in social interaction, or symbolic or imaginative play beginning before age three.


	National Research Council (2001) Educating Children with Autism recommends 25 hours per week of active engagement
	McWilliams (1995): A positive relationship between developmental age and engagement
	Mahoney (1999): Studies support the idea that responsiveness as opposed to directiveness is the beneficial characteristic of parents.


	E-QUAL III: Children’s Engagement Codes McWilliams and de Kruif (1998)
	Actively engaged time: “Time children spend interacting with the environment in a developmentally and contextually appropriate manner.” McWilliams and Bailey(1995)


	About half of children with autism improve in developmental skills when they receive intensive early intervention.

	Components of an effective program involve meaningful interactions
		Reciprocal play, imitation, and communication


	(a) to develop the Parent Engagement Scale (PES) which is based on the Child Engagement Scale.

	(b) to examine the relationship between the PES and child characteristics.


	Participants
		10 children and their parents
		Assessed at STAR’s Early Childhood Evaluation
	Materials
		Parent Engagement Scale
		Test Scores
		Videos of parent-child free play


	Parent Engagement Scale
		Directiveness
		Responsiveness
		Affectiveness
		Movement


	Test Scores
		ADOS
		CARS
		DAS
		Vineland
		Social Skills Survey (Parents and Teacher)
		Communicative Functions
		PLS-4 or Rosetti
		Peabody


	Gather participants’ test scores
	Code videos of parent-child free play


	• Interrater Reliability
	r>.80

	• Negative correlation between parent active engagement (responsive) and child developmental age
	(r=-0.71, p <0.05)


	The PES was found to be reliable
	Parents of children with more severe autism appear to demonstrate more active engagement with their child according to the PES
	Further comparative study needed that looks at engagement after intervention


	Parent-child interaction training
	Global PES: Consistency
	Child engagement improving as a result of productive parent engagement