Evaluation of a self-instructional package on discrete-trials teaching to parents of children with autism

The purpose of this research was to evaluate a self-instructional package (Fazzio & Martin, 2007) to train parents of children with autism to conduct discrete-trials teaching (DTT). In Study 1, we investigated the effectiveness of a self-instructional manual and a self-instructional video for teaching five parents of children with autism to correctly apply DTT to teach three tasks to a confederate who role-played a child with autism, and to their own child when possible. Following an average of 4.76 h of training, the package produced a strong effect with three parents and a weak effect with two parents. In Study 2, we investigated the effectiveness of the self-instructional manual combined with role-playing and feedback, plus the self-instructional video, for teaching an additional five parents. Following an average of 4.68 h of training, all five parents demonstrated large, clinically significant gains in their performance of DTT, both with a confederate as well as with their own child, with a minimal investment of one-on-one instructor time. These results suggest that the training package in Study 2 has considerable potential as an effective, efficient and acceptable method of training parents of children with autism to apply DTT.

► A self-instructional package was evaluated to train parents to conduct DTT.
► The package combined with role-play was an effective teaching method.
► Gains were evident when parents worked with a confederate and with their own child.
► The teaching package was cost-effective and well received by parents.