The effects of parent training intervention on the language development of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

A literature review was conducted using the PubMed and CINAHL databases with the keywords ‘Autism Spectrum Disorder’, ‘communication’, ‘parent training’, and ‘intervention’. These searches yielded approximately 15 articles each. Many were duplicates. Only studies published in peer reviewed journals were considered for inclusion in this factsheet. Articles related to modifying child behavior using parent intervention were excluded. The following 3 articles were selected for review. It is well established that children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience challenges in language, communication and social interaction (American Psychiatric Association, 2000; Macintosh & Dissanayake, 2006). Research has demonstrated that early social communication skills are associated with language outcomes later in life. (Bono, Daley & Sigman, 2004; Dawson, Toth, Abbott, Osterling, Munson, Estes, et al. 2004; Mundy, Sigman, & Kasari, 1990; Toth, Munson, Meltzoff & Dawson, 2006). Therefore, it makes sense that social communication skills would be the focus of early intervention programs. Parent training has been shown to be a cost-effective treatment technique for teaching parents to facilitate child learning (Forehand & McMahon 1981; Patterson, 1982). Parents can be essential to a child’s progress in an early intervention program as they represent the most proximal and powerful environmental influence during a child’s early years (Bruner, 1981; Whalen, Schreibman & Ingersoll, 2006). Thus, training parents to facilitate the language development of their young child with ASD could be a cost efficient way to improve the child’s outcome.