Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities - Division on ...

Effectiveness of Parent <strong>and</strong> Therapist Collaboration Program
(PTCP) for Teach<strong>in</strong>g Self-Care <strong>and</strong> Domestic Skills to
Individuals with Autism
Atilla Cavkaytar
Anadolu University
Elena Pollard
Guthrie Ma<strong>in</strong>stream Services, AZ
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to develop <strong>and</strong> determ<strong>in</strong>e the effectiveness of a Parent <strong>and</strong> Therapist
Collaboration Program for teach<strong>in</strong>g self care <strong>and</strong> domestic skills to <strong>in</strong>dividuals with autism with vary<strong>in</strong>g
educational needs, age, <strong>and</strong> severity of disability. Three <strong>in</strong>dividuals with autism, one habilitation provider, <strong>and</strong>
three parents participated <strong>in</strong> the study. A multiple probe design with probe conditions across skills was used <strong>in</strong>
order to exam<strong>in</strong>e the effectiveness of <strong>in</strong>dependent variables on the dependent variable. The <strong>in</strong>dependent variable
of the study was Parent <strong>and</strong> Therapist Collaboration Program (PTCP) for teach<strong>in</strong>g self care <strong>and</strong> domestic skills
for <strong>in</strong>dividuals with autism. <strong>Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g</strong> is completed when the parents <strong>and</strong> therapists determ<strong>in</strong>e that they are
proficient <strong>in</strong> the tasks expla<strong>in</strong>ed dur<strong>in</strong>g the meet<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>and</strong> home visits, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g how to complete various
record<strong>in</strong>g forms for target skills <strong>and</strong> how to apply teach<strong>in</strong>g methods. Result show that the PTCP was effective
for teach<strong>in</strong>g self-care <strong>and</strong> domestic skills to children with autism.
Accord<strong>in</strong>g to The Revised Fourth Edition of
Diagnostic <strong>and</strong> Statistical Manual, (DSM-IV-
TR), autism is characterized as hav<strong>in</strong>g: Qualitative
impairments <strong>in</strong> social <strong>in</strong>teractions <strong>and</strong>
communication skills, <strong>and</strong> repetitive <strong>and</strong> stereotyped
patterns of behavior (American Psychiatric
Association, 2000). In addition, people
with autism often acquire self-care <strong>and</strong>
daily liv<strong>in</strong>g skills, but require additional supports
<strong>in</strong> the form of supervision <strong>and</strong> prompt<strong>in</strong>g
to ensure <strong>in</strong>dependent performance
(Hibbert, Kost<strong>in</strong>as, & Luiselli, 2002). Many
The first author completed this study when he
was a visit<strong>in</strong>g Professor at Arizona State University,
<strong>Division</strong> of Curriculum & Instruction. Thanks to all
who assisted <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Dr. Samuel DiGangi <strong>and</strong>
Special <strong>Education</strong> faculty. Special thanks to the
Guthrie Recreation <strong>Education</strong> <strong>and</strong> Therapy Center,
a private center for children with developmental
disabilities <strong>in</strong> Ch<strong>and</strong>ler, AZ. We would also like to
extend a warm thank you to the families, children,
<strong>and</strong> therapists who participated <strong>in</strong> the study. Correspondence
concern<strong>in</strong>g this article should be addressed
to Atilla Cavkaytar, Anadolu University, Faculty
of <strong>Education</strong>, Eskisehir, 26470, TURKEY.
Email: acavkayt@anadolu.edu.tr
<strong>Education</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Developmental</strong> <strong>Disabilities</strong>, 2009, 44(3), 381–395
© <strong>Division</strong> on <strong>Developmental</strong> <strong>Disabilities</strong>
<strong>in</strong>dividuals with autism have deficits <strong>in</strong> their
ability to function <strong>in</strong>dependently <strong>and</strong> need
multiple forms of <strong>in</strong>struction to master daily
liv<strong>in</strong>g skills (Carothers & Taylor, 2004). An
<strong>in</strong>dividual who has essential self-care skills
such as dress<strong>in</strong>g, eat<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>and</strong> toilet<strong>in</strong>g skills is
considered as one who has taken important
steps toward ga<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g an <strong>in</strong>dependent life. As
a ma<strong>in</strong> aspect of American Association on
Intellectual <strong>and</strong> <strong>Developmental</strong> <strong>Disabilities</strong>
(AAIDD-formerly AAMR—American Association
on Mental Retardation) def<strong>in</strong>ition, help<strong>in</strong>g
an <strong>in</strong>dividual with a developmental disability
ga<strong>in</strong> practical skills <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g self-care skills
are important for <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g his <strong>in</strong>dependence
<strong>and</strong> participation <strong>in</strong> society (AAMR,
2002).
Matthews <strong>and</strong> Hudson (2001) po<strong>in</strong>ted out
that the parent tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g methods by which
parents are taught parent<strong>in</strong>g strategies should
follow sound <strong>in</strong>structional pr<strong>in</strong>ciples based on
established theories of learn<strong>in</strong>g. There is a
great deal of evidence that applied behavioral
analysis (ABA) is a highly effective form of
<strong>in</strong>tervention for children with autism (Dillenburger,
Keenan, Gallagher, & McElh<strong>in</strong>ney,
Parent <strong>and</strong> Therapist Collaboration / 381