Graduation Date

Fall 12-20-2019

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Programs

Medical Sciences Interdepartmental Area

First Advisor

THERESE L. MATHEWS

Abstract

Children with an autism spectrum disorder often have deficits in completing activities of daily living skills independently, which then falls on the responsibility of caregivers to assist their child. Behavioral skills training is an efficacious method to train caregivers to implement various behavioral interventions that includes several training components, which can be time intensive. Alternative caregiver training methods that are effective and efficient are needed to train caregivers to implement activities of daily living skills with their child. The present study used two concurrent multiple-baseline across participants design to evaluate the effects of real-time feedback and behavioral skills training to train 8 caregivers to implement activity of daily living skills teaching procedures with their child. We assessed caregivers’ accuracy and correct implementation of the 6 components of the activities of daily living skills teaching procedures after receiving either real-time feedback or behavioral skills training. All caregivers from both groups mastered correct implementation of the activity of daily living skills teaching procedures with their child and maintained the procedures. The overall results suggest that real-time feedback and behavioral skills training are efficacious to train caregivers to implement activity of daily living skills procedures with their child, and that real-time feedback may be an efficient alternative method to training caregivers.

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