Characterizing Federally Mandated Early Intervention for Children with Social Communication Delays: A Mixed-Methods...

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Early Childhood Intervention
• Speech-Language Pathology

Background:

• Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act mandates early intervention (EI) services for infants and toddlers with developmental delays in the U.S.
• Children with social communication delays commonly receive services through Part C EI before age three.
• The specific interventions delivered within Part C EI sessions, particularly caregiver coaching, have not been well-documented through direct observation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the quantity and quality of caregiver coaching during Part C early intervention (EI) sessions for children with social communication delays.
• To compare provider self-reports of caregiver coaching with researcher coding of EI session content.
• To identify similarities and differences in intervention practices across providers and states.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods analysis was conducted involving 33 EI providers across four U.S. states.
• Data collection included provider self-reports and video coding of EI sessions.
• Researchers analyzed session content to quantify and qualify caregiver coaching strategies.

Main Results:

• Providers reported higher levels of caregiver coaching than observed through video coding.
• Intervention topics, goals, and strategies showed similarities across providers.
• Significant variations were noted in session duration, location, and caregiver involvement.

Conclusions:

• This study provides crucial insights into the real-world application of interventions for children with social communication delays within the Part C system.
• Findings underscore the need for enhanced training and standardization of early intervention practices.
• Optimizing EI delivery is essential to maximize benefits for children and families during critical developmental periods.