Training Parents to Use Error Correction Skills: An Initial Evaluation

Abstract

Schools today are faced with a growing number of students who fail to acquire basic early literacy skills. To effectively meet the needs of all students, schools must utilize strategies and interventions that are both effective and efficient. One strategy that schools may use to meet the needs of all students is implementation of a multi-tiered model of academic support. Within a multi-tiered model of support, a continuum of evidence-based interventions are in place to support all students. However, even with this continuum of support many students continue to struggle to acquire basic reading skills. Academic parent training is one approach to supplementing the supports provided within a multi-tiered model to further support students who struggle to acquire basic reading skills. Previous research has demonstrated the efficacy of parent training for improving student reading outcomes, however, effects of parent training on parent behavior has yet to be evaluated. The present study addressed this gap in the literature by evaluating an academic parent training program designed to be used as a supplement for children receiving an evidence-based reading intervention in a clinic setting.

The present study examined (a) whether a functional relationship exists between academic parent training and increases in parental error corrections and parent-delivered praise statements and (b) whether effects found in the clinic setting would generalize to the home setting. A concurrent multiple baseline design across participants was used to in this study.

Results indicated that (a) parent training was functionally related to increases in parental error corrections following child reading errors as well as increases in parent-delivered praise statements following correct responding and (b) effects of parent training generalized to the home setting for two of the three participants. Implications of results of this study as well as directions for future research will be discussed.