A Coaching Intervention for Teaching Caregivers Different Ways of Playing with Their Children with Disabilities

Abstract

Children with disabilities often engage in less complex play and fewer spontaneous pretend play behaviors. Research has highlighted the value of providing caregivers with sustained support to promote their active involvement in the learning of their children with disabilities. Caregivers; however, are rarely offered opportunities to facilitate play skills. In addition, as remote caregiver coaching is emerging, it is important to further explore its effectiveness. In this single-case design study, the effects of a multi-component coaching package on coaching caregivers in implementing an intensive, multi-step teaching procedure with fidelity, to engage in pretend play with their children was examined. Findings indicated that the coaching package was associated with an increase in caregivers’ use of the teaching procedure with fidelity. Caregivers found the coaching package to be beneficial and express strong interest in using the strategies with their children. This study sheds light on ways to support caregivers of children with disabilities around play, that are accessible and easy to use.