Telehealth: ABA Services for the 21st Century

Is telehealth effective for parent training?

In today’s changing world, we must continually adapt to new challenges. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic where face masks, social distancing and lock down procedures are the new normal, telehealth has become a more viable option than ever before.

Telehealth uses digital technology to deliver medical and behavioral care to uses that are in separate locations. Telehealth is implemented using a variety of electronic communication devices such as video conferencing, smart phones, and wireless tools (HealthIT.gov). Telehealth provides a means of delivering healthcare services remotely to people who do not have access to vital healthcare services.

A common use of Telehealth is implemented using real-time video conferencing. Research has shown that therapists can effectively teach parents via telehealth to implement a variety of behavior analytic programs with their children. A study conducted by Lindgren et al., demonstrated the effectiveness of teaching parents how to conduct a Functional Analysis (FA) and Functional Communication Training (FCT) through telehealth to reduce problem behaviors. Furthermore, there is research to validate the use of telehealth to effectively train parents to teach their children with ASD self-care skills (Boutain et al., 2020)

Beyond our current global situation, telehealth will continue to be a valid form of ABA treatment for families worldwide due to advantages such as increased access to qualified professionals, eliminated travel time and lower costs. Also, telehealth offers parents a wide range of training and educational opportunities in the convenience of their own homes; this is especially important for families with busy work schedules whether working in-home or outside the home.

Learn more about parent training through telehealth. Teach your child new skills and positive behavior with our parent training series. Visit www.radiantautismonline.com and become a member of our parent community.

References:

Boutain, A. R., Sheldon, J. B., & Sherman, J. A. (2020). Evaluation of a telehealth parent training program in teaching self‐care skills to children with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 53(3), 1259–1275. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.743

Lindgren, S., Wacker, D., Suess, A., Schieltz, K., Pelzel, K., Kopelman, T., Lee, J., Romani, P., & Waldron, D. (2016). Telehealth and Autism: Treating Challenging Behavior at Lower Cost. PEDIATRICS, 137(Supplement), S167–S175. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2015-2851o