Both naturalistic communication and parent-implemented interventions are evidence-based practices for young children with disabilities, but demonstrations of effective methods for teaching parents to implement naturalistic interventions successfully with their children are still warranted. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a training and coaching program on parent implementation of naturalistic teaching strategies and on concomitant child communication skills using a telepractice service-delivery model (i.e., Internet-Based Parent-Implemented Communication Strategies [i-PiCS]). We found that parents learned to implement the targeted naturalistic teaching strategies with fidelity when, and only when, they were provided with training and coaching over the Internet. The parents’ implementation of these strategies also corresponded with positive changes in their children’s communication skills. The limitations and implications of this investigation are discussed.

A scoping review of studies carried out in the UK and the USA was conducted to explore the perceptions, experiences, and needs of culturally and linguistically diverse families of children with autism. Overall, 32 articles met the inclusion criteria, 25 studies were conducted in the USA and 7 studies in the UK. Four themes emerged including (a) knowledge and beliefs about autism and their impact on the family; (b) autism and family life; (c) family experiences of accessing services and support, and parents’ needs; and (d) multilanguage. Findings highlighted that family perceptions of autism are influenced by an often-reported lack of knowledge; experiences include social stigma as well as difficulties in having access to services. Needs indicate the development of culturally sensitive interventions, information in multiple languages, and parent–professional collaboration. Implications for research, policy, and practice are included.

Parents of autistic children have historically reported hardships related to raising their children. However, the access to resources related to the childrearing of an autistic child is not equitable, therefore resulting in exacerbated difficulties for parents in low-resource settings. In these situations, peer support may be a protective factor for parental resilience in which they receive various supports from other parents of an autistic child with similar experiences. Despite its potential utility, little is known about such parent-to-parent support as evidenced by no synthesis of relevant literature. To address this gap, we present a scoping review of 25 studies that included parent-to-parent support among parents of autistic children. Across these studies, a total of 141 and 747 parents participated as parent mentors and mentees with some heterogeneity in their demographic characteristics. We also identified how parent mentors were trained to provide support to their peers and social validity data related to parent-to-parent support and provided implications for future intervention research. Lay Parents of autistic children have long reported feelings of isolation and increased stress during and after receiving their child’s diagnosis. Increasing global prevalence of autism also calls for increased services and supports to meet the needs of these families, but most parents who live in low-resource settings still report exacerbated barriers. This may indicate the need for diversifying intervention delivery models to increase contextual fit and enhance implementation effects for different populations. For example, many parents have reported parent-to-parent (P2P) model to be a source of emotional support, advocacy, and knowledge related to their child’s diagnosis, and practical advice. However, little is known about this topic due to the lack of synthesis of relevant autism literature. To address this gap, we conducted a literature review to gain a deeper understanding of how P2P support is used. We identified 25 studies based on our inclusion and exclusion criteria, which we coded to extract variables such as demographic information of participants, types of P2P, dosage, target outcomes, and social validity. About half of studies focused on providing support groups for parents, and the other half focused on individual matching and mentoring for skill acquisition of parents. Across the included 25 studies, a total of 141 parents participated as parent mentors and 747 parents as parent mentees. We also present implications for future research.

This pilot study investigated the feasibility and effectiveness of a home-based parent training and coaching program on the use of naturalistic and visual teaching strategies by parents of children (aged 2–5 years) with Down syndrome to promote and enhance these children’s social-pragmatic communication skills. Five parent interventionist–child dyads participated. A single-case multiple-baseline design demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of the parent training and coaching program on parents’ correct use of naturalistic and visual teaching strategies. Findings suggest that parents and children benefited from the intervention. Parents learned the new teaching strategies, implemented them with high fidelity, and were satisfied with intervention procedures and outcomes. In addition, parents reported improvement in their children’s social-pragmatic communication skills. Implications for practice and future research are described.

Early intervention (EI) for infants and toddlers with disabilities relies on family-centered practices. Caregiver coaching, one family-centered practice used in EI, can lead to improved supports by caregivers and improved outcomes for children with disabilities. However, within the research literature, little is understood about the experiences, practices, and barriers EI providers face when coaching caregivers. To understand these issues, a mixed method design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data using questionnaires, EI provider interviews, and coaching logs from EI providers. Results from all three data collection sources for 19 early interventionists provide insight into the perceptions, experiences, benefits, and barriers of caregiver coaching as shared by EI providers in one state. Implications for practice, future research directions, and limitations are discussed.