Efficacy of a Parent Program on Parent Communication in School-Aged Children with Developmental Language Disorders, a Pilot Study

Abstract

Abstract Background: In children with a developmental language disorder (DLD), parent-child interaction is supposed to play an important role in children’s language and socio-emotional development. Therefore, speech-language therapists provide programs to parents, mostly focused on pre-school children. However, parent programs are supposed to be effective in school-aged children as well. Because of the lack of parent programs for school-aged children with DLD in the Netherlands, at Royal Dutch Kentalis the eight-week parent program Interaction Communication Video Coaching is developed. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of ICVC on parent communication skills in interaction with their school-aged child with a developmental language disorder. Method: A within participants pre-/posttest design is applied. All measurements took place during a eight-week treatment program at three assessment points. Data collection was based on videotaped parent-child interactions, performed by six parents and questionnaires completed by 11 parents. Results: Unexpectedly, Following Ratio showed a significant decrease during therapy. Question Ratio showed a significant change post therapy; parents asked a diminishing number of questions. No significant increase was found in Language Modeling Techniques. In parent rating, a significant increase was found in total scores on questionnaires. Conclusion: After a short intervention period, there are indications that ICVC could be efficient to change parent’s questioning behaviour and to increase parent’s rating of their communication skills during interaction with their school-aged child with DLD. There’s no clear explaination of the decreasing Following Ratio, which was expected to increase during therapy. Recommendations: To look closer at the efficacy of ICVC, broader research is necessary in a multiple baseline design and with more participants. In future research, child language measures should be assessed also.