Use of Parent Mediated Activity-Based Intervention to Promote Joint Attention and Enhance Social Communication in a Toddler with Autism: An Exploratory Pilot Study

Abstract

This exploratory pilot study was focused on the effectiveness of using a parent mediated activity-based intervention approach to promote joint attention and stress-free social communicative interactions between a toddler with autism and his mother. Treatment sessions included activities in which the child interacted both with his parent and with an interventionist. Results indicated that teaching this mother how to use the intervention approach to establish joint attention in everyday activities resulted in improved social communicative interactions between the parent and child and reduced stress levels. Generalization of joint attention behaviors to different settings was observed, however, the child responded less consistently to the interventionist than to his mother. No significant improvement in the child’s overall language abilities occurred.