Interventions Supporting Young Children with Developmental Differences and Their Families

Dear Colleagues,

Families often experience general stressors associated with caregiving (e.g., balancing their home and work lives, relationship conflicts). However, the families of children with developmental differences face even greater stress (Harrop et al., 2016; Wong et al., 2017). Children with developmental delays may display challenging behaviors due to difficulties with communication, self-regulation, and co-occurring medical or sensory impairments (Johnson et al., 2007). Caregivers report struggling to meet their child’s needs, even when the child is very young (e.g., aged three; Dunlap et al., 2006). Despite a wealth of research on evidence-based interventions specific to autism and other developmental differences, many families do not receive adequate support for their children due to delayed diagnosis, a lack of available resources, and geographic isolation (Rivard et al., 2017). The risks of unfavorable long-term outcomes (e.g., parents enacting harsh disciplinary practices on children, family discord, unstable family units) increase when caregivers are uncertain about how to prevent distress in their child and facilitate positive interactions (Dunlap et al., 2006; Lee et al., 2022).

Hopefully, changes are on the horizon for intervention research, with the voices of invested individuals (e.g., end users, stakeholders) being acknowledged as important in research and practice (see Blakey et al., 2024; Johnson et al., 2024) and a push in the field toward culturally aware, family-focused interventions to better support children with developmental differences (Pak et al., 2024; Rosales et al., 2023; Shelton et al., 2021). Even with interventions being successfully adapted, including culturally (see Magaña et al., 2021; Martinez-Torres et al., 2021; Pickard et al., 2024), many gaps remain.

Behavioral Sciences is pleased to announce a Special Issue, “Interventions Supporting Young Children with Developmental Differences and Their Families”. We welcome the submission of original research papers and review articles on topics including, but not limited to, naturalistic developmental behavior interventions, interventions for unique developmental domains (e.g., communication, the physical domain, the social domain, self-regulation), the cultural adaptation of interventions, and caregiver-mediated approaches. Research can be implemented in either a natural (such as a home or community setting) or controlled environment (such as a clinic or classroom), focusing on primary outcomes for children aged 0-8 years and/or their caregivers. We encourage contributions that utilize evidence-based practices to advance the field of interventions supporting children and families.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions.

References

Blakey, A. O., Eilenberg, J. S., Cardona, N., Kizildag, D., Broder-Fingert, S., Feinberg, E., & Long, K. A. (2024). Family involvement during comprehensive developmental evaluations: Perspectives of diverse mothers. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 45(4), e325–e333. https://doi.org/10.1097/DBP.0000000000001288

Dunlap, G., Strain, P. S., Fox, L., Carta, J. J., Conroy, M., Smith, B. J., ... & Sowell, C. (2006). Prevention and intervention with young children's challenging behavior: Perspectives regarding current knowledge. Behavioral Disorders, 32(1), 29–45. https://doi.org/10.1177/019874290603200103

Harrop, C., McBee, M., & Boyd, B. A. (2016). How are child restricted and repetitive behaviors associated with caregiver stress over time? A parallel process multilevel growth model. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46(5), 1773–1783. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-016-2707-7

Johnson, C. R., Handen, B. L., Butter, E., Wagner, A., Mulick, J., Sukhodolsky, D. G., Williams, S., Swiezy, N. A., Arnold, L. E., Aman, M. G., Scahill, L., Stigler, K. A., McDougle, C. J., Vitiello, B., & Smith, T. (2007). Development of a parent training program for children with pervasive developmental disorders. Behavioral Interventions, 22(3), 201–221. https://doi.org/10.1002/bin.237

Johnson, K., Deavenport-Saman, A., Mamey, M. R., Sabapathy, T., Schrager, S. M., & Vanderbilt, D. L. (2024). Exploring racial and ethnic differences in parent-reported strengths in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 11(3), 1643–1650. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-023-01639-w

Lee, J. D., Hacker, R. E., Meadan, H., & Haidar, B. S. (2022). Challenging behaviors online modules for parents of young children with disabilities: A pilot feasibility study. Education & Treatment of Children, 45(4), 341–355. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43494-021-00067-x

Magaña, S., Dababnah, S., Xu, Y., Torres, M. G., Rieth, S. R., Corsello, C., ... & Vanegas, S. B. (2021). Cultural adaptations of a parent training program for families of children with ASD/IDD: Parents taking action. International Review of Research in Developmental Disabilities, 61, 263–300. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.irrdd.2021.07.005

Martinez-Torres, K., Boorom, O., Peredo, T. N., Camarata, S., & Lense, M. D. (2021). Using the Ecological Validity Model to adapt parent-involved interventions for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Latinx community: A conceptual review. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 116, 104012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104012

Pak, N. S., Peredo, T. N., Madero Ucero, A. P., & Kaiser, A. P. (2024). EMT en Español Para Autismo: A collaborative communication intervention approach and single case design pilot study. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06322-5

Pickard, K., Guerra, K., Hendrix, N., Khowaja, M., & Nicholson, C. (2024). Preliminary Outcomes and Adaptation of an NDBI for Spanish-Speaking Families. Journal of Early Intervention, 46(2), 217–238. https://doi.org/10.1177/10538151231217475

Rivard, M., Morin, M., Mercier, C. Terroux, A. Mello, C., & Lépine, A. (2017). Social validity of a training and coaching program for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder on a waiting list for early behavioral intervention. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 26, 877–887. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-016-0604-5

Rosales, R., León, I. A., & León-Fuentes, A. L. (2023). Recommendations for working with culturally and linguistically diverse families: A report from the field. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 16(4), 1255–1269. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-023-00870-5

Shelton, R. C., Adsul, P., Oh, A., Moise, N., & Griffith, D. M. (2021). Application of an antiracism lens in the field of implementation science (IS): Recommendations for reframing implementation research with a focus on justice and racial equity. Implementation Research and Practice, 2. https://doi.org/10.1177/26334895211049482

Wong, V., Yu, Y., Keyes, M. L., & McGrew, J. H. (2017). Pre-diagnostic and diagnostic stages of autism spectrum disorder: A parent perspective. Child Care in Practice, 23(2), 195–217. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13575279.2016.1199537

Dr. Megan Kunze
Dr. Stephanie Shire
Dr. Sara Schmitt
Guest Editors

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